Whether they’re known as “mini CEOs” or “product jedis,” product managers are united by a common reputation of being extremely knowledgeable and essential to the success of a company’s product.
Given this impact, it’s safe to say that there are many skills that are needed to be a product manager — but which ones are the best?
According to product managers at companies across the country, there are many important skills that define great product managers, including adaptability and curiosity. And each of these skills requires special attention, which is why product managers should focus on continually building their knowledge, whether that’s by reading a helpful book or asking for feedback from a fellow colleague.
Built In caught up with eight product managers to hear their thoughts on the most important skills to have as a product manager, how to refine these skills over time and how to stand out in the applicant pool.
Featured Companies
UL Solutions is an applied safety sciences company that helps organizations across the globe become safer, more secure and more sustainable.
What do you consider the most important skills to have as a product manager, and why?
Product managers must understand their stakeholders’ needs, craft their product vision and strategy based on those needs and create and evangelize the strategic roadmap for their product. Creating the proper roadmap requires strong communication skills to interface with users, software engineers, operational support teams and business partners.
To serve as the connection point between these teams that often have diverse and sometimes conflicting interests, product managers must be able to collaborate closely with each other and often need to adopt skills in each domain. In practice, product management can require a wide breadth of knowledge that will vary from product to product, so it’s important that product managers are skilled learners who are able to dive into new topics quickly.
“It’s important that product managers are skilled learners who are able to dive into new topics quickly.”
It’s also essential for product managers to measure the success of their initiatives and adapt their strategies as needed. To do this, they must use strategic skills to identify and define how they want to measure success. They’ll also need data analysis skills to identify, gather and interpret key performance indicators, as well flexibility, decision-making skills and a strategic mindset.
How do you sharpen these skills over time?
I’ve sharpened my skill set primarily through mentorship, collaboration and practice. There’s so much I can learn from the people I talk to every day, so I ask questions often and make sure I’m an active and engaged listener. I take note of colleagues who excel in areas in which I’d like to strengthen my skills and seek their feedback and suggestions. I also push myself to try new things and strive for a growth mindset to keep pursuing improvement. Outside of the workplace, there are also a variety of books, courses and certifications that can help people expand their product management skills.
If someone wanted to join your team, what could they do to stand out from the pack?
Since product managers often need to hone specific skills for the product line or lines that they’re supporting, a stand-out candidate should be able to identify how their skills and experience can support the more unique needs of the role beyond the product management fundamentals.
SeatGeek’s platform enables people to buy and sell tickets for sports, concerts and theatrical events.
What do you consider the most important skills to have as a product manager, and why?
As a product manager, I’m constantly communicating with team members across the business and sharing stories. In my experience, I’ve found that you have to tailor your communication to different stakeholders and contexts. Whether it’s a companywide presentation, team retro or cross-team alignment meeting, you’ll be using both oral and written skills to achieve a certain goal. Storytelling in particular is one form of communication that has been so important because you’re often trying to convey a user problem or business opportunity in a structured way to align stakeholders with your vision.
“I’ve found that you have to tailor your communication to different stakeholders and contexts.”
How do you sharpen these skills over time?
Take advantage of low-risk opportunities at work. I’ve done product demos, learning club presentations and participated in programs, such as Toastmasters, to gain confidence in my skills. From there, I’ve continued to take larger opportunities, such as presentations to external clients or organizations and companywide presentations, to increase my visibility and skills.
If someone wanted to join your team, what could they do to stand out from the pack?
When you’re interviewing, you can apply storytelling to help us understand what makes you an effective product manager. Being able to take your experience, which may not always be in product, and tell it in a clear way to share what you bring to the table will go a long way.
Cin7 specializes in connected inventory performance, offering organizations real-time visibility into products across different systems, channels, marketplace and regions.
What do you consider the most important skills to have as a product manager, and why?
I believe that the ability to take calculated risks is perhaps the most important skill for a product manager. In product management, you rarely have all the data you’d ideally want before making a decision. Instead, you must learn to make informed guesses, balancing available data with intuition. While this doesn’t guarantee success, it allows you to make progress rather than getting stuck in analysis paralysis. When risks don’t pay off, they become learning opportunities, offering valuable insights to iterate, improve and help refine strategies and guide future decisions. Embracing this mindset of calculated risk-taking fosters innovation and agility, which are critical in a rapidly evolving market landscape and essential traits for any product leader.
“You must learn to make informed guesses, balancing available data with intuition.”
How do you sharpen these skills over time?
To be able to get into a risk-taking mindset, you need to gather the input for the idea. Active listening is essential for any product manager aiming to build successful products. To create something that truly meets user needs, you must listen carefully to feedback from customers, partners, team members and various stakeholders across the organization, whether those individuals are in support, engineering, sales or marketing. Without genuinely considering these perspectives, you risk making decisions based solely on personal biases, leading to products that don’t resonate with your target audience.
Continuously working on your active listening skill ensures your product ideas are grounded in reality and aligned with market demands. This skill not only helps in gathering diverse insights, but also in fostering collaboration and trust within your team, especially when you ask for their feedback and listen to what they offer. Therefore, your listening skill helps shape ideas with the collective insight of the team and market, thereby providing you with the opportunity to take calculated risks.
If someone wanted to join your team, what could they do to stand out from the pack?
I would like to see that they demonstrate that they’re thinking like an entrepreneur, which I believe is a key trait for a product manager. Entrepreneurs are inherently good at product management because they’re accustomed to operating with limited resources, navigating uncertainty and making tough decisions that can make or break their ventures.
Unlike traditional roles, where all necessary resources might be readily available, entrepreneurs must creatively innovate, adapt and hustle to source what they need, often pulling from multiple disciplines. This resourcefulness and ability to adapt under pressure are crucial in product management, where you must constantly balance competing priorities and drive toward successful outcomes despite constraints. Adopting this mindset leads to innovative problem-solving, proactive decision-making, cross-functional collaboration and a holistic approach to product development.
Iodine Software’s AI clinical engine leverages raw patient data to generate real-time, predictive insights.
What do you consider the most important skills to have as a product manager, and why?
While there are many skills that are essential for product managers, I feel that the most important skills are the ability to translate customer feedback into product features, and to let your curiosity be your guide. There will always be a new KPI, client and challenge to face, but if you stay curious and close to your customers, you will always stay focused on what matters most at the end of the day — creating a product that drives impact for your end users.
“I feel that the most important skills are the ability to translate customer feedback into product features, and to let your curiosity be your guide.”
How do you sharpen these skills over time?
You sharpen these skills by actively listening to your customers and never assuming. You aren’t afraid to continually put yourself in new scenarios to expose yourself to as much as you can. You never know when or where an idea will spark or where your line of questioning will lead you.
As a product manager at Iodine Software, I’m always encouraged to attend webinars and conferences, meet with more clients and prioritize the voice of our customers. Above all, we’re given the opportunity to think freely, experiment and push the boundaries of innovation to ensure we’re providing our clients with the best possible experience.
If someone wanted to join your team, what could they do to stand out from the pack?
To stand out, my recommendation would be to use your industry knowledge to inform ways to capture new opportunities and ideas for disruptive innovation.
LogicGate’s governance, risk and compliance platform enables companies to leverage real-time data to make informed decisions.
What do you consider the most important skills to have as a product manager, and why?
At LogicGate, the most important skill for a product manager to have is understanding and collaborating with people. I believe a product manager must genuinely enjoy working with others. It’s about thoughtfully considering the feedback you receive and making stakeholders feel valued while having the courage to communicate tough decisions tactfully.
How do you sharpen these skills over time?
To sharpen these skills, it’s important to get involved in a variety of projects that push you beyond your comfort zone. Early in my career, I took on projects ranging from user interface enhancements to technical upgrades and features that experimented with new technologies. I actively sought out projects that were deliberately different from anything I had worked on before. Each project involved different stakeholders and required a unique approach to align stakeholders with a vision. No two projects are the same, especially in a rapidly growing company like LogicGate.
I encourage my team to take advantage of LinkedIn Learning, a resource provided to all of our employees, and to follow thought leaders in product management, such as Teresa Torres and Lenny Rachitsky. I also create opportunities for our product managers to collaborate and share insights with each other. We can learn a lot from our shared experiences.
If someone wanted to join your team, what could they do to stand out from the pack?
To stand out on our team, you should not be afraid to say, “I think,” but also have the tools and methods to get to a place where you can say, “I know.” You should be willing to make brave product decisions while having a backup and iteration plan ready if new information comes to light. It’s all about creating clarity while still being open to rethinking and refining your approach.
“You should not be afraid to say, ‘I think,’ but also have the tools and methods to get to a place where you can say, ‘I know.’”
InStride’s platform enables organizations to offer free, career-aligned educational opportunities for employees.
What do you consider the most important skills to have as a product manager, and why?
Curiosity and a constantly inquiring mind are essential skills for a product manager. Understanding the problem you’re solving is a key responsibility; if you’re not sure what problem you’re solving for, you may end up building a great product, but it won’t be right for the user.
Product managers should be perpetual learners, gathering data during and after development. At InStride, the completion of a feature marks the start of the next iteration, sparking new questions about how to make it even better. Another critical skill is listening to truly understand. This involves getting at the underlying meaning of what the user is saying while considering feedback from other sources.
Lastly, embracing a growth mindset is critical, especially for new product managers. This concept, coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, taught me to view challenges as ways to think differently, learn and grow. This mindset is valuable in product management, where you’re constantly learning new tools, concepts and methodologies, especially with generative AI becoming more prominent.
“Embracing a growth mindset is critical, especially for new product managers.”
How do you sharpen these skills over time?
Continuous learning is crucial for honing these skills. One way I’ve developed as a product manager is by consistently collaborating with different teams and, most importantly, asking the right questions. The ability to ask the right questions is a challenging skill that I’m still refining today. In the past, I’ve participated in coaching workshops that have significantly improved my ability to ask impactful, probing questions. This skill has directly translated to my work in product management, enabling me to gain deeper insights and clarity.
I’ve also benefited from InStride’s Step Forward education program, which provides complete tuition coverage for various programs, from short courses to degrees. During my time here, I’ve enrolled in several professional courses, including “Decision Making for Leaders” and “Business Strategy in Changing Environments.” For each of these courses I enrolled in, InStride offered a corresponding workshop, where me and my colleagues were able to deepen our knowledge and apply them in practice with small groups.
If someone wanted to join your team, what could they do to stand out from the pack?
At InStride, we deeply value a passion for education, whether it’s shown through professional experience or personal commitment. We’re committed to empowering working adults to take that pivotal step in their lives by choosing an education program — from a degree to a short course — that equips them with the skills and experience needed to advance their careers.
In addition, the ability to navigate ambiguity is becoming increasingly important. As AI and other disruptive technologies reshape the way we work, adaptability will be crucial. Thriving in uncertain environments will set candidates apart in product management.
Inato’s platform connects community-based research sites with clinical trials across the globe.
What do you consider the most important skills to have as a product manager, and why?
To excel as a product manager, you need resilience, pragmatism and genuine curiosity.
Resilience is crucial because building a product involves navigating complex user needs, regulatory constraints and conflicting stakeholder requests. Plans rarely unfold as expected, so you need grit and adaptability to succeed despite setbacks.
“To excel as a product manager, you need resilience, pragmatism and genuine curiosity.”
Pragmatism is vital because you’ll make countless microdecisions daily, often with limited information. You must be comfortable making quick decisions based on imperfect data.
Genuine curiosity is essential, not just about understanding users, but also about the tech landscape. This is especially critical now with the rapid rise of generative AI. Features once impossible to build have become commonplace, and model capabilities evolve almost weekly. As a product manager, you must stay up-to-date on these developments.
In essence, you’ll need to be resilient in the face of challenges, pragmatic in decision-making and curious enough to keep learning and adapting in a fast-paced technological environment.
How do you sharpen these skills over time?
Focus on working with products you’re genuinely passionate about. This genuine interest makes building resilience easier and helps you consistently deliver your best work. Continuously learn and improve your craft by engaging with content from product leaders through podcasts, newsletters and local meetups. These resources provide inspiration and valuable insights from others’ experiences.
Additionally, gain hands-on experience with new technologies like AI by solving simple problems in your domain using no-code tools. This practical approach enhances your technical awareness and helps you incorporate new technologies into your products effectively. By following these strategies, you’ll naturally sharpen the resilience, pragmatism and curiosity that are key traits for successful product management in today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape.
If someone wanted to join your team, what could they do to stand out from the pack?
When evaluating candidates, I prioritize two key aspects. First, I look for genuine passion in health or clinical research, whether that’s evident through their work history or personal projects. Second, I value a commitment to self-improvement, shown by continuous learning, certifications or side projects.
For our case study interview round, candidates who go beyond theoretical solutions impress me the most. Those who explore our product as users, support their ideas with public data or create basic prototypes demonstrate real initiative and interest in our work. This approach shows that they’re willing to invest extra effort and have a sincere enthusiasm for our product development.
Bectran’s platform helps companies’ credit departments accelerate transactions processing through the digitization and automation of data, tasks and processes.
What do you consider the most important skills to have as a product manager, and why?
A successful product manager must be adept at synthesizing vast amounts of information to identify the most important needs of clients and prioritize effective solutions. This role requires a delicate balance between focusing on intricate details and maintaining a broad, strategic view, enabling them to “see the forest from the trees.” A strong product manager can efficiently interpret data to understand customer demands and craft solutions that address challenges in a scalable, holistic way.
“This role requires a delicate balance between focusing on intricate details and maintaining a broad, strategic view, enabling stakeholders to ‘see the forest from the trees.’”
Another vital skill is the ability to ask the right questions and dive deep into customers’ concerns. This enables product managers to grasp the business’ problem firsthand and build a product that provides a comprehensive solution.
Being comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty is also essential. Product managers must be willing to iterate and change course if met with failure because a solution delivered to the market may not always yield the expected results, and keeping an open mind allows them to learn from failures, pivot quickly and continue refining their approach. Finally, one’s ability to communicate and influence people throughout different levels of the organization, all of whom have different goals to accomplish, is key to the role. An effective product leader listens, empathizes and ensures all stakeholders’ voices are taken into consideration.
How do you sharpen these skills over time?
Talk to your customers as much as you can. I have the unique advantage of operating in a B2B product environment, where I can call the customer and, if necessary, see how they use the product firsthand. Customers are your number one resource, and there’s no better training for a product manager than solving their customers’ problems.
As a product manager, you should communicate with any partners and mutual services your customer may use. Since your product is just one piece of their tool kit, it’s crucial to understand how it fits within the broader context of your customer’s journey and lifecycle.
Explore tech blogs, employee training and books. Reading is essential for continuous learning and skill development. I regularly explore tech blogs and participate in employer-led training to enhance my product management expertise.
Additionally, each year, I make it a point to read a diverse range of product-focused books that delve into the history of product management and provide valuable frameworks for problem-solving. I highly recommend The Creative Act by Rick Rubin to anyone looking for a good read. It’s not a product book that teaches you a set of structures or how to do the job, but it’s a great book to get into a product-thinking mindset.
If someone wanted to join your team, what could they do to stand out from the pack?
There’s no single trait to being hired on the product team, but overall, a person should demonstrate curiosity, the ability to deal with ambiguity, a strong problem-solving mindset and empathy for customer problems. I love to hire people who, like Socrates said, “Know that they do not know,” as they’re who I would regard as the wisest of them all. Most people fail to acknowledge that it’s OK to not know everything, but one should have the humility to accept this fact and try one’s best to learn what customers are saying to solve their problems effectively.
From a technical and product standpoint, a potential team member must have a general curiosity for products in their daily life. This includes having suggestions for improvements on products they use or knowing the general pitfalls of widely used products.
