Why Do I Need The Best Product Manager?

The Product manager portfolio is an interesting one that is commonly found in technology-based companies. They usually coordinate the various sections of a business responsible for developing, designing and marketing a product, among other things. The product manager is responsible for strategizing and defining the life cycle of a product and this places the manager in a position to master the different fields of design, business and technology.

It is a norm to have differing job descriptions for product managers across industries and even organisations. One uniform element in what product managers do in different industries is that they are involved with the product from development to delivery and even after sales services.

It is also common for people with different portfolios to carry the duty of product management which includes strategy, ideation, implementation and prioritizing elements of the product delivery. An account manager, for instance, may be saddled with the duties of product management along with other ‘account management’ duties.

Your business deserves the best product manager if you must excel. A product manager under whatever name they may be called can be the key to success for a product. The qualities of a great product manager will help you understand this assertion better.

Qualities of a great product manager:

Strategic

The destiny of your great product(s) lie on the shoulder of the product manager. A great product manager is one that can strategize and make strategic decisions. She also synchronizes strategy with tactics. No product succeeds without a strategy that puts into consideration the intent of the product and the roadmap from product design to final consumption by the end user. The Product Manager as the coordinator of the product has to understand strategy.  

Passionate

Understanding the product and truly believing in its benefits is an important trait for any product manager. Being motivated and enthusiastic brings the necessary passion that the product manager needs to drive other members of the team as well as push the product. You need someone who understands your product and its benefits. The best product manager loves your product.

Empathy

The product manager should always have the end user in mind every step of the way. This means thinking like the consumer and feeling what they feel at various stages of the journey. A product manager that is emotionally detached from the product’s end use would find it difficult to make the right decisions.

Leader

The product manager is the CEO for the product. A mini CEO. Being able to coordinate, lead, make decisions and act as the team lead across board is a core skill that he must possess. You want someone who is a natural leader who can influence the people he works with. This also means you want someone confident and assertive to drive the product’s team.

Collaborative

Communication and interpersonal relations are key for any product manager. You cannot be a good product manager if you cannot collaborate effectively with the different members of your team. The product manager must also have a basic understanding of how the work done by the different members of the team affects the product. He is a person who understands the design, business, technology and other aspects of the product.

Innovative

Challenges will arise during the lifecycle of any product and it is usually up to the Product manager to innovate the product’s way out of roadblocks. Having an innovative product manager means that you will have someone who can guide the different teams through problems and challenges by being creative.

At HollaTags, we often work with product managers who understand the power of mobile channels like USSD, IVR and SMS in improving the product and giving customers the best experience.  Are you a product manager or performing the role of one and interested in leveraging the potential of mobile telephony to a Nigerian Audience? Talk to us.