Jas Shah's Hot Take - Product Management isn't as Glamorous as People Think (with Jas Shah, Fintech Product Consultant)
Oct 27, 2024
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Jas Shah, a fintech product consultant in London, shares his candid insights on the often misunderstood world of product management. He reveals that the role is far from glamorous, highlighting the invisible labor involved in team coordination and balancing competing interests. Jas challenges the romanticized narratives by emphasizing the demanding nature of the job, the lack of authority, and the importance of genuine value delivery. He also touches on fintech innovations, including exciting concepts like gamified banking for children.
Product management is often misconstrued as a glamorous role while most of the job involves unrecognized behind-the-scenes coordination and conflict resolution.
Newcomers to product management typically have unrealistic expectations about autonomy and responsibilities, fueled by the glamorization of the profession.
Deep dives
The Reality of Product Management
Product management is often perceived as a glamorous role with significant autonomy, akin to being the 'CEO of the product.' However, this perception represents a minority experience, as most product professionals face a challenging and demanding reality. The bulk of their work involves coordinating across various teams, resolving conflicts, and handling responsibilities that may not always be visible or recognized. This behind-the-scenes labor often goes unnoticed, leading to a disconnect between the perceived and actual experiences of product managers.
Misconceptions of Product Management Roles
Many newcomers to product management are influenced by the glamorization of the role, leading to unrealistic expectations about the responsibilities and autonomy it entails. Although a small percentage of product professionals engage in high-level strategic work and public presentations, the majority are focused on ensuring team cohesion and progress on the product roadmap. Importantly, product managers in roles like B2B or internal tool management often do not directly interact with customers, complicating their ability to measure success. This lack of visibility reinforces the notion that not all product roles are as glamorous as often portrayed.
Navigating Expectations and Purpose
The conversation also touches on the universal struggle among various business functions to find purpose and recognize their contributions. Product managers frequently experience the misconception of needing extensive technical knowledge or years of industry experience to succeed. By fostering an understanding of their role as enablers within the organization, product managers can shift their focus from external validation to internal team progress. Emphasizing collaborative problem-solving and transparent communication helps to align expectations and clarify the inherent value each role brings to the organization.
Jas Shah is a fintech product consultant based in London who helps small startups and management services organizations build winning products, whilst keeping his pulse on the fintech scene.
His hot take? That product management is one of the least glamorous functions in an organisation. It's often portrayed as a sexy role where you're the "CEO of the product" with autonomy and responsibility, but for most product managers, the role is arduous and grating, involving invisible work like coordinating between teams, dealing with competing interests, and working with less authority than expected.