What are lightweight CEOs doing?

In science and technology, people are often attracted by engineers and designers. They create amazing products most directly, like Instagram, Gmail, Twitter, Android, iOS, or other hardware and software. It is not the magic that guides them from start to finish, but the Product Manager (PM) takes on this responsibility.

It is these unnamed heroes and experts in these industries that have made every change to the product throughout their lifecycle. They understand the business ideas of CEOs and management and put them into action during the development phase. They ensure that the product strategy stays with the user.

PM is to tell you what should be done

Earlier this week, Ken Norton of Google + Ventures and Josh Elman of Greylock Partners co-sponsored a PM exchange to share experiences and exchange expertise.

Norton said PM has been defined differently by many people in the past, but has recently been gradually accepted as saying it's a career, not just your job. This is evidenced by his work on product development at JotSpot and Google, including Google+, Mobile Maps, Calendar and Google Docs. He cited examples of how many tech companies are raising the profile of their PMs, notably the venture capital firm KPCB's scholarship program on product talent selection and Google's Associate Product Manager project, which was started by Yahoo CEO Mayer Inauguration

What kind of quality do PM do in the end? Everyone can do it?

Norton says that you need to understand technology, but that does not necessarily mean you are in computer science or programming. They need to be able to communicate with engineers and designers in a professional language to make sure they know each other what the PM is saying.

In 2005, Norton wrote an article on "How to Recruit Product Managers," which mentions smart people looking for a strong professional background with a strong sense of product and a multi-dimensional perspective.

Both Norton and Elman believe PM is helping to execute the company's vision. Or, they are lightweight CEOs who simply use influence rather than authority to do their job because they do not have the direct management of an engineer or designer, nor do they throw away the prickles that do not help you with the product child.

This is more than just a job

PM is not a person sitting in a different team to see if it has completed the day's progress. They need a deep understanding of market needs, who their competitors are, what they want and what they want to help market and sales teams better target.

Elman wrote a post on "PM's Responsibility," where he mentions that core competencies are "discerning what to blame and not listening to early users," and more importantly, lightweight CEOs do more than just meet user expectations Responsible, and in line with the company's overall strategy set by the founder or CEO. He also needs to be aware of the movements of all the important products because he is at the forefront of competition with technology-front-line companies.

Become a good PM element

The exchange presented the skills needed for great product managers, with Johanna Wright from Google, Craig Walker from Firespotter Labs, and Adam Nash from Wealthfront.

Nash replied, in addition to focusing on users, but also with design ideas to consider the problem, understand what can be achieved can not be achieved, but also have the ability to lead and solve global problems. PM helps you to improve leadership and know yourself. Nash also emphasizes that it does not do everything with its own power - he also sees it as a weakness. This requires inspiration, insight, analytical skills, and the need to keep in mind that this requires team power.

Also, to do well, you also need to understand the blueprint for the whole thing. Excellent product manager "win", not only means that the product baked, but also to ensure that in the long term, the team to solve a series of problems. This is not a little hard work or remove the bad functions on the line.

Walker takes Nash's view of team power a step further, saying that PM requires extraordinary interpersonal skills that are necessary because, after all, communication with engineers, designers and people of all sorts. It is important to be able to motivate teams in the same state and eventually push the product on the line.

If you can not convince engineers in your project, you will not be able to convince others to join the team nor will you be able to convince the market.

Intuition is also a big weapon. Wright said product managers must be right on three things: understanding products and users, continually verifying the waywardness of ideas, even though most people have less confidence, and understanding and ability to work collaboratively with others.

PM career future

As a product manager, what should be done after completing a project? Are there any clear steps to keep you on the path to career growth? It's a dilemma many of the PMs get into and Norton and Elman are trying to solve.

It is not hard to believe that product managers will gradually escalate into management or even become their own company CEO. Of course, do not forget that there is also the possibility of venture capital companies.

It's good to understand why Google Wentures and Greylock Partners organize such a meeting. Elman said that in the field of investment, will not only provide the check, the company is also interested in VC VC can provide what kind of resources. Both have strong resources, Google Ventures has a startup lab and Greylock has a strong startup background. At the same time they also have a high degree of PM recognition.

Regardless of the future conjecture on PM, one thing is certain: they are at the intersection of business strategy, user feedback, research and development management, and market sense of smell. As I said before, this is not a field that you accidentally entered, but a desire to invest.