How Product Managers Make Better Decisions Through Conversations

One thing I’ve noticed about product managers is that they spend their days moving between completely different perspectives.

In a single week, they may meet with the executive team, talk with engineers about a new concept, discuss a manufacturing issue, meet with a distributor, and spend time with customers.

Each conversation reflects only part of what’s really happening. I’ve found the picture only becomes clear when those perspectives begin to come together.

The product managers who stand out don’t expect one conversation to provide all the answers. Over time, they begin to connect those perspectives into a clearer understanding of both their customers and the business.

Some of the most valuable conversations are the ones that don’t go according to plan. It’s often those unexpected moments that change how I think about a customer or the problem we’re trying to solve.

The next time you’re in a meeting, let the conversation breathe. Leave enough space for the conversation to go somewhere unexpected.

Some of the best product decisions don’t come from a single conversation. They come from what you learn across many conversations.