Businesses Urged to Consider Product Management as a Leadership Role
Analysis from Product Focus has uncovered the critical mistakes businesses are making by not considering Product Management as a leadership role. The leading provider of product management training in Europe is urging businesses to re-think their perceptions on the role and how recognising Product Managers as leaders can increase the value and influence of the role in organisations.
Product Focus’ White Paper entitled, ‘Product management as a leadership role’ highlights problems that arise within the industry for Product Managers when they are not empowered as leaders. These include but are not limited to:
- Being undervalued and used as fire-fighters
- Being seen as servants of the sales team
- Serving the business rather than driving the business
The white paper gives Product Managers the tools needed to address these issues so their role becomes more strategic and high level. Key takeaways uncovered in the whitepaper include their Maturity Model, which helps create a roadmap to improve product management. The Product Focus Maturity Model is based on their experiences over the years and gives an overview of what to expect and what should be put in place as a product team grows. This visual tool has the three columns representing the different levels of an Immature, Managed, or Leading product management function. The 5 rows represent the 5 areas which are critical for success. The Maturity Model can be viewed in the white paper.
Founding Director of Product Focus, Ian Lunn is an industry leader with over 25 years’ experience in product management roles. He started Product Focus in 2006, with fellow Director Andrew Dickenson, to help companies achieve high-quality product management, through teaching the skills and providing the tools they need to excel. The team works with a wide range of companies, from start-ups to huge multinationals, delivering online and face-to-face training courses across the world.
On product management as a leadership role Ian said: “We know that product managers can have the most influence and provide the most value to the business when they are in a leadership role. We liken them to a mini-CEO, running their product like it’s their own business in the wider organisation. However, many product managers find themselves in more of a janitor role – sweeping up the mess of product issues and continually firefighting and that’s where our white paper can help.”
“Empowered Product Managers lead the business by innovating and developing their product to support the company strategy. They drive the business forward and bring the business strategy to life. Strong product management also gives you economies of scale, which leads to more profit and less waste. We believe that product managers in a leadership role deliver more value to their business. That’s good for Product Managers and good for the company.”
