Becoming a T-Shaped Product Manager

Summary:

In this episode of Lessons in Product Management, John discusses the importance of developing into a T-shaped product manager — someone who has deep expertise in one area but broad knowledge across many disciplines. He explains how the expectations of PMs are evolving, particularly with the rise of generative AI, and gives tactical advice on building a career growth roadmap.

Timestamps:

00:09 – Introduction to the episode and topic.

00:23 – What is a T-shaped PM? (Depth and breadth explained)

01:10 – Defining the core responsibility of a PM: creating customer value that drives business objectives.

02:00 – Key PM tasks: Working with teams, getting buy-in, prioritizing, synthesizing information.

03:26 – Areas PMs can go deep in, and the need for broad competency across adjacent fields.

03:57 – Technical competency: Importance for PMs without technical backgrounds (mention of Skip Level course).

04:41 – Gaining competence in UX and research.

04:58 – Understanding go-to-market functions: marketing, sales, customer success, and product marketing.

05:30 – Importance of data and analytics skills: SQL proficiency, telling stories with data.

06:05 – Compliance, legal, and regulatory knowledge for PMs in heavily regulated industries.

06:30 – Product ethics: distinguishing between what you can do and what you should do.

06:55 – Financial acumen: revenue models, ROI, and understanding value vs. cost.

07:43 – PMs are at the center of organizations: Why speaking multiple "languages" matters.

08:07 – Embracing a long-term career journey rather than sprinting to learn everything at once.

08:35 – How to identify strengths and weaknesses to focus learning efforts.

09:23 – Real-world examples of technical and regulatory knowledge gaps PMs need to address.

09:42 – The need for PMs to evolve in the era of generative AI and automation.

10:34 – The shift away from traditional PM roles focused only on backlogs and PRDs.

11:28 – A call to action: Take ownership of your learning to remain competitive.

12:08 – Summary: Developing breadth and depth will determine your ability to land jobs, get promoted, and grow.

12:44 – John offers coaching help: Listeners can email him for a career growth roadmap session. [e-mail]

13:00 – Closing remarks: "Go out and kill it!"

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