How to Become a Peak Product Manager
Twelve competencies PMs need to deliver business impact
Years ago, I met an early PM at Microsoft who had helped develop what we think of as product management today. She started at Microsoft in the mid-1990s. At that time, the PM role was in its infancy, but its importance was already clear. She told new PMs at Microsoft: “You are like the mortar in a brick wall.” Like mortar, you must fluidly fill the gaps between the bricks to make the whole wall stronger.
This analogy resonates even more today. Product management is a fluid, connective role. It is highly demanding and varies considerably by the situation and from company to company. The best PMs — the peak product managers — don’t just ship features. They do whatever it takes to deliver valuable outcomes for their users, their team and their company. They do whatever it takes to deliver business impact.
Product managers are like the mortar in a brick wall. Like mortar, they must fluidly fill the gaps to make the whole team stronger.
The fluidity of the PM role means it can be hard to define what traits make a PM successful. At TripAdvisor, we found the strongest PMs are intellectual athletes who excel at a diverse, mutually…
