From One PM to Another: Gaffes and Challenges of Product Managers

I write this as a product manager amongst many other product managers. Speaking to another product manager, you may realise that our challenges differ.

You may also realise that there are similarities. Perspective is also another thing to consider because what another product manager sees as a challenge may not be a challenge for me. Another thing to consider is the years of experience working as a product manager. As you will see in this post, my challenges as a beginner product manager were different from my challenges 7 years later.

When I started my journey in 2016 as a product manager, my first hit was having to understand the language of the industry. I was so used to the world of communication and had to find time to understand terms and what each job title entailed. I also figured out that it requires a wide range of skills and expertise to navigate the complex and dynamic landscape of product development. I had to learn fast to increase my chances of success for my products and drive business value for my employers.

Another challenge I had was managing expectations. It felt like the whole world wanted me to perform some sort of magic and I had to also deal with different thoughts and opinions. This was challenging, as stakeholders had different priorities and perspectives on the product I was managing at that time. This meant that I had to learn to manage the expectations of a wide range of stakeholders, including the development team, marketing, sales, and executive leadership. I will always remember how I cried throughout my break period one day at the office and my boss found me. He was kind enough to give me the rest of the day off. However, the crying baby returned a strong and big girl ready to take on the world. Thanks to my boss for his words of advice.

The next challenge I had to overcome was prioritising and balancing a variety of competing priorities, including new features, customer requests, and business goals. This was challenging because it felt like I was being drawn to different things simultaneously. It is something you may want to watch out for as a product manager. Per time, you will require a clear understanding of the needs of the target market and the objectives of the business.

Limited resources have to be fourth on my list of challenges I have faced as a product manager. When I say limited resources, it could be money or other things like time, budget, and personnel, which can make it challenging to deliver all desired features and updates. This means that you must make tough decisions about which features and initiatives to prioritise and which to defer or eliminate. This can be so painful especially when it is a feature you are rooting for that has to be deferred or eliminated.

These challenges I have mentioned are not the challenges I face now as a product manager. These things change with time and experience. If you ask me what my challenges are now, especially as a product manager with 7 years of experience, I will mention adapting to changing market conditions and customer needs and pivoting the product strategy quickly and when necessary. Market change can be frustrating because sometimes, you may not predict it. Other times, you are able to predict it and prepare yourself on time. Navigating this problem requires a strong understanding of the market and the ability to anticipate and respond to changing trends and customer preferences.

Another challenge I will also mention will be working with teams across different departments and functions, such as engineering, design, and marketing. If you are a product manager, you most likely would have looked at your development team with red eyes. Collaborating effectively with teams can be challenging, as it requires good communication, coordination, and conflict-resolution skills. You have to be emotionally intelligent and know how and when to support your team – even those misbehaving.

So you see what I mean when I say these challenges differ based on different things. Another thing worthy of mention is how I surmounted these challenges. I was open to constant learning and I enjoyed the company of supportive bosses and colleagues. I also joined communities for product managers and I got a mentor who was genuinely interested in my growth. I knew it was a matter of time before I would grow past those challenges and I sure did. You may want to read books like Product Book and The Lean Product Playbook as they were also instrumental in helping me surmount my challenges. One other thing I did was to have a close circle of product managers where we had open-hearted conversations about our challenges and we all shared advice. This way, I knew I wasn’t alone. I gave help and received help too when I needed it.

Now that we have gone through the challenges, we can now talk about the mistakes of product managers. In my early years, my mentor advised me to make as many mistakes as possible. That was the best advice I got. As time passes and you gain work experience, you will no longer be excused when those mistakes occur. As a beginner product manager, it’s natural to make mistakes along the way. But as you grow, you must build your skills and reduce the possibility of those mistakes happening.

One of the early mistakes I made when I was working with an eCommerce tech company was not prioritising and balancing a variety of competing priorities, including new features, customer requests, and business goals. Remember my challenges? I made the mistake of trying to do too much and that led to messing with my mental health thereby resulting in delays in the product development process.

Another mistake I made was thinking I could cherry-pick the parts of the product management role I could participate in. At some point, I didn’t like the idea of data. It felt like a lot especially coming from a communication background. Later on, I realised data and analytics are powerful tools and I made the mistake of not leveraging them effectively. This mistake led to decisions that were not based on solid data and evidence, and as a result, didn’t deliver the desired results. Ever since to date, I may even need data to justify why I need to have breakfast. I made it a part of me and I am thankful for that.

A mistake I see among beginner product managers is thinking they do not need guidance and mentorship. Thankfully, I didn’t make this mistake. This was a game-changer and still is in the trajectory of my career. Product management can be a challenging and complex role, and beginner product managers can benefit from seeking guidance and mentorship from more experienced product managers. Those who do not seek guidance may make more mistakes and face more challenges along the way. Why not shorten the learning curve by seeking mentorship?

I hope that sharing my experiences, challenges and mistakes helps you see where you can do better. You don’t have to make the same mistakes as those who have gone before you. We made those mistakes so you could do better.

Overall, by avoiding these mistakes and seeking guidance from more experienced product managers, you can increase your chances of success and build a strong foundation for your career in product management.

Writer’s Biography:

Joy Eneghalu is a skilled product manager who is passionate about building and launching products that delight customers and drive business success. She is open to exploring new opportunities to put her skills to work. She has a strong background in product development, with a focus on driving growth and revenue.