Grasp the Nuances: The Skill That You Need To Be a Great Product Manager
Shreyas Doshi had lately written the following quote about product management:
“You can keep chasing hundreds of frameworks, mental models, tactics, playbooks, success stories, tools, and templates throughout your career, and yet the fundamental capability that will unleash your product mastery across domains & companies is this:
Understand how people think.”
I couldn't agree more! However, for a product manager, the journey to truly grasp the nuances of human behavior can seem perplexing.
Based on my journey, here is how I invest time to cultivate this skill.
While numerous books on product and management offer valuable insights, delving into psychology and philosophy has been pivotal for me. These disciplines broaden your perspective, offering deep dives into the intricacies of human thought, emotion, and behavior.
I find it very hard to suggest my top three books (as there are so many), and yet here is my list:
“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman: This book delves into the dual-process theory of the mind, explaining how our decisions are made through a combination of fast, instinctual thought and slow, rational deliberation.
“Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor E. Frankl: A profound account by a Holocaust survivor and neurologist/psychiatrist, this book explores the importance of finding purpose in life, even in the most harrowing circumstances, offering deep insights into human motivation and resilience.
“The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion” by Jonathan Haidt: This book provides a fascinating look into moral psychology, explaining how and why people form groups, hold different beliefs, and how these beliefs are integral to their identity. It’s instrumental for product managers looking to understand the diverse motivations of their user base.
Curiosity and Empathy
Developing a genuine curiosity about your customers is crucial. It’s about going beyond surface-level understanding to grasp what truly matters to them — their motivations, aspirations, fears, and challenges. This deep empathy forms the foundation of impactful product development.
I keep a journal of my customers: What matters to them? What motivates them? What are their aspirations? What are their fears? What are their problems? Not just what, but perhaps more importantly, why? What we do in product management all starts and ends with this understanding.
If I could suggest one book to begin exploring this topic, it would be “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. Carnegie’s classic offers timeless insights into human nature, emphasizing the importance of empathy, listening, and understanding others from their perspective.
The Art of Listening
In the fast-paced environment of startups, especially within the Israeli tech scene, the skill of listening is often undervalued. Yet, mastering this art is essential. Listening goes beyond hearing words; understanding the underlying messages, emotions, and feedback can guide your product decisions. This skill requires patience, openness, and a willingness to be influenced by what you learn from others.
Listening is a matter of practice that begins by subduing the natural reaction of answering whatever is said. Instead, understand the feelings and thoughts the other person is evoking, put them aside, and try to be immersed in a hearing before reacting. One book that I would recommend:
“Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone” by Mark Goulston: Written by a psychiatrist, this book provides strategies to break down barriers to effective communication, making it easier to listen and truly engage with others’ thoughts and feelings.
I hope you found this helpful, would love your comments :)
