Your New Product as a Product Leader: Your Team

Why Your Team Should Be Your Top Priority as a Product Leader

Introduction

As product managers, we're trained to obsess over our products. We meticulously craft strategies, ruthlessly prioritize features, and tirelessly advocate for our vision. But what happens when you step into a product leadership role? Suddenly, you're not just managing a product – you're managing people who manage products. It's a shift that many struggle with, often without realizing it.

The Leadership Trap

In my 20+ years as a product leader, I've seen a clear pattern emerge. New product leaders tend to focus primarily on three areas:

1. Setting, maintaining, and socializing product strategy

2. Managing up for expectations and resources

3. Building, coaching, and developing their team

Here's the rub: most new leaders pour their energy into the first area. If there's pressure from above, they might pivot to the second. But the third – arguably the most critical – often gets overlooked or treated as an afterthought.

The Mindset Shift

Let me be blunt: your team is now your product.

Just as you once poured your energy into understanding user needs and market dynamics, you now need to invest that same level of attention into your product managers. Each team member has unique strengths, weaknesses, and growth areas. Your job? To nurture, challenge, and empower them to become the best product managers they can be.

This isn't just feel-good leadership fluff. It's a strategic imperative. Without a high-performing, dedicated, and engaged team of product managers, even the most brilliant product strategy will fall flat. Your ability to execute, innovate, and drive results hinges on the capabilities and motivation of your team.

Image generated by DALL·E from OpenAI

Key Principles for Team Development

So, how do you start treating your team like your product? Here are a few key principles to consider:

1. Don't manage – lead.

   As a product manager, you likely hated being micromanaged. Don't fall into that trap with your team. Instead of dictating every move, set clear expectations and empower your PMs to find their own path. Provide guidance, not orders.
   

2. Look beyond mistakes.

   It's natural for product managers to spot deficiencies – we're trained to identify and fix problems. But as a leader, you need to balance this with a focus on potential and growth. Don't just critique – coach.
   

3. Don't overlook your lowest performers.

   It's tempting to focus on your star players, but your team is only as strong as its weakest link. Often, your lowest performers are where you can get the most return on your leadership investment. Plus, like it or not, they're a big part of how your leadership is being judged.
   

4. Support customer interaction.

   Great product managers need to understand their users deeply. Encourage and facilitate your team getting out of the office and spending time with customers. It's not just about gathering insights – it's about building empathy and intuition.
   

5. Create a safe space.

   Product management is inherently risky and highly visible. Your team needs to know it's okay to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and even fail occasionally. Foster an environment where curiosity is rewarded and failure is seen as a learning opportunity.
   

6. Tailor your approach.

   Just as you wouldn't use a one-size-fits-all approach for your products, don't use it for your team. Get to know each PM's strengths and weaknesses, and tailor your interactions accordingly. Some might need more hands-on guidance, while others thrive with autonomy.
   

7. Develop a growth mindset.

   Encourage continuous learning and improvement. Set up regular 1:1s focused on personal development, not just project updates. Invest in training, mentorship, and stretch assignments to help your PMs grow.
   

8. Celebrate wins – big and small.

   Product management can be a thankless job. Make sure to recognize and celebrate your team's achievements, whether it's shipping a major feature or receiving positive user feedback.

Conclusion

Shifting your focus to team development doesn't mean neglecting product strategy or stakeholder management. Rather, it's about recognizing that your ability to excel in those areas is directly tied to the strength of your team.

Remember, as a product leader, your success isn't just measured by the products you ship, but by the team you build and nurture. The skills you honed as a product manager – empathy, strategic thinking, problem-solving – are invaluable in this new role. Apply them to your most important product: your team.

In future blog posts, we'll dive deeper into specific strategies and best practices for excelling in this crucial aspect of product leadership. But for now, I challenge you to shift your mindset. The next time you're tempted to dive into product strategy minutiae, pause and ask yourself: "Am I giving my team – my new product – the same level of attention and care?"

It's time to start product managing your most important asset – your people. Trust me, the ROI on this investment will surprise you.