They changed the focus from mailing DVDs to streaming technology. However, it was no random bet, it was a product leadership strategy. That decision is the subject of study in business schools and product conferences across the globe. Because it wasn’t just about tech. It was about vision, team alignment, and a deep understanding of customer needs – all driven by product leadership.
So if you’ve ever wondered why some companies build hit after hit while others struggle to launch even one useful feature, this is why. Welcome to the world of Product Leadership.
Product leadership does not entail managing products. It is the process of motivating people to create products that really matter.
Although a roadmap or backlog could be owned by a product manager, a product leader shapes the why, the who, and the how. Consider fewer Jira tickets, more long-term planning, power, and cross-functional work.
In a world full of features, product management leadership ensures that what gets built is not just new but valuable.
Before you can lead products, you need to understand the hat you’re wearing. You cannot have product leadership as a label, rather, it is a way of thinking.
And the impact? An excellent product leader does not necessarily introduce features. They displace markets, influence customer behaviour, and create organizations with the best talent.
You can’t fake product leadership. But you can grow into it.
Let’s break it down into three core components:
Any product leader should have an effective product leadership strategy. This implies defining a purpose, pulling levers, and ensuring that every decision of the product cascades with business impact.
Strategies that are not executed die regardless of how good they were. Product management leadership is creating teams that are able to act quickly and intelligently. That means:
The best product leaders build more than roadmaps, they build trust.
They:
In other words, they don’t just deliver products, they create environments where great products are inevitable.
Leadership in product innovation isn’t always glamorous. There are plenty of landmines.
Nobody is born a great product leader. You build it like a muscle.
Here’s how to grow your product manager leadership skills:
Understand the business
The best product leaders don’t just think about features. They think about P&L, CAC, LTV, GTM strategies, and retention curves.
Let’s look at a few real-world examples of product leadership roles in action.
When Nadella became CEO, he shifted Microsoft’s product culture from Windows-first to cloud-first. This wasn’t just a leadership move – it was a product move. It repositioned Microsoft Azure as a market leader.
In her previous role as VP of Product Design, she has grown the Facebook design organization (from a small group to hundreds). Her leadership experience influenced the experiences billions of people engage with on an everyday basis: clarity, ethics, and speed are the priorities.
As COVID-19 struck, Airbnb lost its main source of income. The product unit was quick to re-prioritize such aspects as flexible cancellations and longer-term stays. It was this agility, which was based on strong product leadership, that helped them bounce back and IPO successfully.
It’s about building trust, creating clarity, and driving outcomes consistently.
Whether you’re a mid-level PM thinking about your next move or someone already managing teams, strengthening your product leadership muscles will help you:
Because at the end of the day, great products come from great leadership, not just great ideas.
Product leadership is a cross-functional strategic role focused on shaping vision, aligning teams, and enabling high-impact product outcomes, rather than simply managing backlogs and execution.
It is important, as it leads teams to develop products that are orientated toward customer value and long-term business objectives to innovate and create significant market effect.
Strategic thinking, data interpretation, stakeholder communication, storytelling, and coaching are some core skills required in guiding both products and people.
Growth can be achieved with formal coaching, mentoring less experienced PMs, reading up on strategic material, and undertaking frequent feedback to enhance the ability to make decisions and attain influence.
Product management mainly involves execution, managing requirements, backlog, and release cadence. On the other hand, product leadership is responsible for setting the strategic direction and creating an environment where product teams thrive.
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