The Role of a Product Manager
A Product Manager is accountable for defining problems, aligning stakeholders, and guiding teams toward valuable outcomes.
PMs do not own people — they own decisions.
Core Responsibilities
- Define and communicate product vision
- Identify and prioritize problems
- Align stakeholders around goals
- Enable effective discovery
- Guide delivery toward outcomes
- Measure success and adapt
What PMs Own vs Influence
Own
- Problem definition
- Prioritization
- Roadmap intent
- Success metrics
Influence
- Technical solutions
- Design decisions
- Delivery timelines
- Go-to-market execution
A PM’s Day-to-Day Reality
- Talking to users
- Clarifying priorities
- Writing and refining problem statements
- Aligning teams
- Making trade-offs
- Communicating decisions
Common Role Misconceptions
- “CEO of the Product”
- Jira administrator
- Idea factory
- Stakeholder secretary
Key Takeaways
- PMs lead through clarity, not authority
- Accountability > control
- Communication is a core skill