A leadership framework that gives product managers influence

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TLDR

In this episode, Uma Subramanian shares her insights and proven framework for transitioning from individual contributor to effective leader in tech and product management roles. Drawing from her extensive experience at Microsoft and Turing, Uma explains the identity shift required for leadership, introduces her SOAR framework (Strategic Impact, Outstanding Communication, Authority/Personal Brand, Relationship Mastery), and provides actionable tips for developing each pillar. Listeners will learn how to think beyond their immediate role, communicate their impact, build a compelling personal brand, and master the art of building relationships—all key to becoming sought-after leaders.

Introduction

Today we’re exploring a challenging transition in product management —the shift from individual contributor to someone who multiplies the success of others. I know the first time I became responsible for a team, I was a fish out of water. I knew what made me successful in my previous role, but I didn’t know how to be successful leading others. I had not learned that yet. How do you lead when no one actually taught you how to lead? In this discussion, we’re going to give you a proven framework and helpful tools for successfully making this transition.

Our guest is Uma Subramanian, and she understands this transformation very well. She spent 20 years at Microsoft evolving from programmer to leading global teams. Then she became Head of Developer Success at Turing, where she built a developer community from zero to 37,000 members in just five months while driving NPS scores to world-class levels of 92. She’s a certified executive coach with Maxwell Leadership, trained in positive psychology, and now helps tech professionals worldwide make this same leadership leap through her company, Limitless Leaders. Uma understands both the technical and human sides of this challenge.

Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers

The Leadership Identity Shift:
Uma and host Chad discuss how moving into leadership isn’t just a role change but an identity change. Success as an individual often doesn’t translate directly; leaders must learn to orchestrate success with others.

Uma’s SOAR Framework for Leadership:

S – Strategic Impact: Thinking beyond your job description to create greater value for your organization, being proactive, and bringing others along.
O – Outstanding Communication: Communicating your value effectively, using storytelling to persuade, and making sure your impact is recognized.
A – Authority & Personal Brand: Defining what you want to be known for, aligning others’ perceptions with your authentic self, and standing out in your niche.
R – Relationship Mastery: Building genuine relationships at all levels, creating an ecosystem of support, and focusing on people as much as tasks.

Encouraging Teams to Rally Around Strategic Goals:
Product leaders elevate impact company-wide, often going beyond their assigned responsibilities. This approach can lead to friction, such as when Uma developed engineering tools without first looping in the appropriate teams. Through these experiences, Uma learned that encouraging teams to align with strategic goals requires proactive communication and collaboration. She highlights the value of involving the appropriate teams early on as well as partnering across teams to solve problems together.

Communicating Your Impact Effectively:
Many professionals often hesitate to communicate their value, fearing it might come across as self-promotion or bragging, or believing others already know what they’ve accomplished. Uma encourages a shift from simply discussing tasks and experiences to focusing on the results and business value those efforts create. Impactful communication also involves storytelling—not just presenting data or logic, but tapping into the emotional side to persuade stakeholders and gain buy-in. She has seen how developing storytelling skills can “change the game” for her clients and help their contributions gain recognition and support from upper management.

Building Your Personal Brand:
Uma highlights the power of clear, intentional branding—including “I am” statements—which can help leaders articulate what they’re uniquely great at and shape how they’re perceived across their careers.

Uma shares her own experience: When interviewing for a leadership position at Turing after her time at Microsoft, she created a pitch deck that included several “I am” statements. These reflected recurring themes throughout her career:

“I love to build things from the ground up.”
“I love to bring people together and help them grow.”
“I love to take on new challenges.”

Your brand and “I am” statements are not tailored to a single job or company—they should be innately true and consistently evident across your career.

Relationship Mastery:
Building great relationships goes beyond professional networking—it’s about truly connecting with people and caring about their growth and wellbeing. Healthy, meaningful interactions at every level help leaders empower their teams, facilitate collaboration, and achieve results beyond what any one person could accomplish alone. In Uma’s coaching and personal career, she has found that prioritizing relationship mastery dramatically improves not just productivity, but workplace satisfaction and long-term success.

Useful Links

Innovation Quote

“What does extraordinary mean here?” – Uma Subramanian

Application Questions

Uma identifies the transition to leadership as an identity shift rather than just a new role. How have you experienced this shift, or what challenges do you anticipate if you move into leadership?
Which pillar of the SOAR framework (Strategic Impact, Outstanding Communication, Authority/Personal Brand, Relationship Mastery) feels most important for your growth, and why?
How do you currently communicate your impact to stakeholders and leaders? What changes might you make based on Uma’s “Speaking with Results” approach?
What steps have you taken—or could you take—to intentionally build your personal brand within your organization or industry?
As a leader or aspiring leader, how do you nurture strong relationships across teams, senior management, and your direct reports? What has worked well for you, and what could improve?

Bio

As the founder of Limitless Leaders, Uma Subramanian empowers mid-career tech professionals to become confident, impactful leaders who inspire trust and deliver results. Drawing on over 20 years of experience, including a lengthy tenure at Microsoft, she understands the challenges of stepping into leadership roles and thriving in today’s fast-paced tech landscape. Uma’s coaching programs provide the mindset, tools, and strategies needed to lead authentically, think strategically, and succeed while maintaining personal well-being. Certified in Executive Coaching, DISC Behavioral Analysis, and advanced leadership training, Uma helps clients lead with clarity, emotional intelligence, and purpose.

Thanks!

Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below.

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