Essential non-technical skills for PMs
Beyond technical skills and frameworks
Introduction
As Product Managers, we need to be excellent in our technical skills. You need to understand the tech powering your product, the business strategy, the customers, and our domain to build an excellent product experience.
However, crucially other important skills also help you scale faster in your career and work well with your teammates and any other relevant stakeholders.
In this blog, I will explore some essential skills you need to master and share some essential tips on how you can improve on them
Excellent communication skills
The general perception is that to be an excellent communicator, you need to be extroverted. It’s true that most extroverted people exude more confidence when it comes to communicating and influencing large groups of people. However, not all PMs are extroverted (myself included)
Excellent communication is about the following:
Setting the right context: This is the nature of the issue you’re trying to communicate. Is it a status update, a Products Requirement Document (PRD), or sharing a process with an external stakeholder? It’s important to define the nature of the issue clearly.
Relevant stakeholders: Who am I communicating to? This will inform the content and approach which you will use to communicate effectively.
Timing: Am I communicating this at the most appropriate time? Timing is essential as it can influence action from the relevant stakeholders.
Good communication is an essential part of a Product Manager.
Follow-through
As a Product Manager, you need to have a reputation for getting things done and being on top of what your team is working on and the product you’re building.
Here are some tips to guide you on this:
Provide regular and relevant updates.
If there’re any challenges, surface them as soon as possible.
Persistence is key. Go all the way to the end with an issue and find a solution to it.
Be an awesome team player
A PM’s role is more of an influential role rather than a managerial role. It’s important to build credibility and trust with your teammates.
Building trust is a journey, and here’s what you can do:
Be transparent: Don’t overpromise or lie to impress a certain stakeholder. Be aware of your own capabilities and also what the team is able to work on.
Communicate (If possible, overcommunicate) and get stuff done: I’ve explained in detail above.
Be a good person😁: In case your team needs you, ensure you come through for the team. If you can do a certain task that’s not within your scope but can add value to the team, you should do it.
Conclusion
A PM’s role is highly cross-functional. To thrive in working with your team and other stakeholders, you need to communicate effectively, follow-through and be an awesome team player.
Further resources
"High Agency: Its Importance and How to Cultivate It" by Shreyas Doshi [Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/high-agency-its-importance-how-cultivate-shreyas-doshi/]
"Who's the Better Communicator: Introverts or Extroverts?" [Link: https://www.yourthoughtpartner.com/blog/whos-the-better-communicator-introverts-or-extroverts]
"What is Product Management? A Brief Memo" by Shreyas Doshi [Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shreyasdoshi_what-is-product-management-a-brief-memo-activity-6951208342539161600-zhRq/]
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