Product Growth Podcast cover image

Product Growth Podcast

PMs Are Screwed (Here’s Why)

Apr 8, 2025
David Pereira, a seasoned product coach and advisor, challenges conventional norms in product management. He exposes the three major traps that hinder product teams and offers provocative insights on 'bullshit management.' Pereira emphasizes the importance of effective product strategies and the shift from output to outcomes, advocating for a focus on high-value features and customer understanding. He shares personal anecdotes, including the pitfalls of corporate constraints and the transformative potential of AI tools in enhancing PM practices.
01:04:50

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Bullsh*t management hinders product teams by focusing on execution over genuine value creation, often resulting in disconnection from customer needs.
  • Many product managers fall into traps of prioritizing stakeholder demands over user needs, limiting their effectiveness and strategic decision-making.

Deep dives

Understanding Bullshit Management

Bullshit management refers to actions that consume time and energy without creating any tangible value, acting as distractions from productive work. This concept highlights the discrepancy between what product managers are expected to accomplish and the reality of their tasks that often revolve around maintaining backlogs and appeasing stakeholders. The speaker emphasizes that too many product managers find themselves in positions where they merely execute requests without understanding their significance or the underlying customer needs, leading to a lack of genuine product management practice. By recognizing and challenging their roles, product managers can shift their focus from being facilitators of requests to actual creators of value.

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner