The product manager in any company is not the wheel that drives the business ahead. They are the cog in the wheel that ensures the constant progress of a brand. They hold more than one role, and each more critical than the other.
They are expected to be on par with their contemporaries in the industry to ensure the competition does not sweep them off the feet. Some manage to acquire product management certification courses to upskill and groom themself for the tasks.
Here are a few traits that a project manager needs; to ensure they the best in the industry:
1. Effective Communication
One of the essential traits of a project manager is the ability to communicate. Be it with the clients, the stakeholder, or the employees — the ability to resonate and convey a message is the primary skill to hone.
Ineffective communication will lead to mass losses, slow down in work, and delay in deadlines. Managers are also responsible for communication between cross-functional groups within the organization. This covers everyone from the ideation team to the product deployment team.
Communicating also means the manager stands as a medium of connection between the crew and the management. They should be approachable, open to criticism, and have the ability to weed out the faulty ideas.
2. Knowledge of Every Tool.
While the manager dawns on many hats, each of these skills needs to be backed by tools. These are software or project management devices that help keep track of progress and act as a communication gateway within the team.
Each company will have its own set of tools and software that need constant tracking and accounting updates. As a project manager, one must be able to juggle between these and know them like the back of their hands.
A product management certification or course will enable a better understanding of these tools. These courses also focus on applying a project, managing time, understanding scrum, and much more.
3. Lead From the Front.
The product manager is one person sandwiched with responsibilities– both from the team and the investors and stakeholders. They must work as a fortress to protect the team and lead the way to success.
They must be able to program the team carefully and play to the strengths of each person. They have to get the hard work done most effectively, without compromising the innate vision of the company.
Product managers are expected to lead by example and motivate them to keep the projects on track and meet deadlines.
4. Planning and Sorting
Managing time is a crucial part of this job. When there is more than one task in hand, it’s the manager’s responsibility to distribute the calendar evenly. They must allocate a fixed amount of time to each process and hold the ability to multitask.
Prioritization is one of the key points to keep in mind. They must use their leadership to bring structure into the company, run a flawless scrum, and give priority to the appropriate deadlines.
There will be a constant flow of incoming requests and outgoing deadlines. The ideal manager will have to develop a personalized framework to keep all the moving limbs working in harmony.
5. Solution Development
If we were to break down the role of a manager into two fragments, we could broadly classify them as follows: The first is to structure the framework to meet the demands and the problems of the end-consumer. The second is resolving internal glitches and supply-chain obstructions.
Both of these occur only with an insight into problem-solving. If the manager were to jump into a use-manual approach of problem-solving, it could lead to a domino effect of errors. They must decipher each issue and deploy creative solutions to ensure it does not arise again.
6. Loyalty.
The product manager is the only person running the ship, and their work ethic and loyalty will make or break the company. The brand-founders must trust the person in charge of the trade and allow them to make decisions.
The manager should also be able to build trust with the team. This relationship will allow for better working conditions and in-directly lead to enhanced efficiency of the workforce. No one likes to work under a leader who micromanages.
They must also be loyal to clients or customers. This behavior will help build a foundation for better business.
7. Active Foresight
In this tech-driven world, an idea can turn obsolete in just a matter of a few minutes. In such a time, the manager should have a deep understanding of the business to avoid a roadblock. They should know the ins-and-outs of the product, it’s the development, and it’s the usage
They should forecast the business’s future and individual tasks of each person on the team. A curious mind will enable better actions and stay ahead of the curve.
This process can be in the form of small changes in the working structure, incorporating new tech, and A/B testing to products. Analyzing present-day data to foresee the changes ahead is one of the product manager’s most prominent roles.
8. Adaptability
Lastly, with the growing need for change, the product manager should be able to alter policies or chart new road maps in as little time as possible. This means that the product manager should be ready for an epiphany or a dilemma — all guns blazing.
This action can also be in the form of product changes, management changes, work-time alterations, and much more. Being able to adapt will help the company in a significant way.
Post the pandemic of 2020, the need for adoption has never been higher. As more products leave the shelves or grow into something new, the project manager must be the front runner of these tasks.
Final Thoughts,
If there is one trait that will define a manager, it wants to grow and learn. They being inquisitive will only fetch better results. Apart from adapting, learning, and growing are also crucial factors that concrete the success of a capable project manager.
