Myth 1: A PM’s role is well-defined
PM is perhaps the most overloaded term in the industry today as there is no universal definition of what a PM does.
A software developer is required to program and build things in all the teams that they are a part of. They language or framework can be different but the overall job will be the same. The same might not be true for a PM role.
The role of a PM varies with “context” and depends on:
- Organization
- Product
- People
- Stage of project delivery
While one PM could be studying competitors, another could be writing technical guides and support docs for customers, one could be performing UX audits with end users, another could be cracking distribution partnerships with business partners.
As a PM in a large organization, one could be doing a thing among the above at a time while in a startup, one could be doing everything listed above at once.
Myth 2: PMs are “mini-CEOs” of their product
A PM can be (a) Individual Contributor or (b) People Manager. Almost every PM starts as a individual contributor in their organization. While the product manager is responsible for driving the product's success, they don't have complete control over every aspect of the product and it’s success.
Product managers simply don’t have any direct authority over most of the things. Even today’s most senior product leaders only have hiring and firing control over their direct reports - other product managers. Does that sound like any CEO you know?
A CEO, on the other hand, stands truly alone, with ultimate responsibility for the success or failure of not just the company but every product in it. The CEO also controls all the resources of the company - with hiring and firing prerogatives across the company and having a final say on the budget. Does that sound like any product manager you know?
Myth 3: PMs do the managing, others do the work
Nothing can be farther from the truth. PMs are expected to get their hands dirty. A PM can hardly ever say “That’s not my job!” So, everything that nobody else wants to do or knows how to do falls into the hands of the PM.
Playing the role of a PM is an art. “Why”?
- PMs listen endlessly, diffuse tensions, handle stress, know when to speak, switch contexts repeatedly
- PMs influence others once they build credibility
- In most organizations, a PM is needed to demonstrate different personalities at different times (eg: Aggressive vs Defensive; Data vs Leap of Faith)
Myth 4: Product Management is all about building products
While building products is certainly a very important aspect of product management, it's not the only one.
Any product while being built goes through a process which can be divided into 2 parts - Problem phase and Solution phase. Building products comes under solution phase, but to reach the solution phase, the problem phase needs to be explored well.
A good product manager needs to be able to understand the market, identify customer needs, and make data-driven decisions based on this information. Product management is more about understanding the customer and market than it is about building products.
Myth 5: The Product Manager is responsible for coming up with all the ideas
While product managers do need to be creative and innovative, they don't come up with all the ideas themselves. Good product managers work with their teams and stakeholders to generate ideas and make decisions based on data and market research.
As mentioned in the point above, there are 2 phases of the process of building a product. The solution phase starts with ideation and is more of a team activity than the responsibility of a Product Manager. Good ideas can come from anywhere.
Myth 6: Product Management is only for technical people
Product management doesn't require a technical background. While technical knowledge can certainly be helpful, it's not necessary. Good product managers focus on understanding the customer and market and making data-driven decisions.
As it is talked about before, the role of PM is very contextual and the need of knowing technology varies with the role. A Product Manager in a startup that makes devtools with only developers as their customer might need a lot more tech knowledge and even a tech background. But a PM in a consumer startup who understands user behaviour and is very analytical will be a better fit even without a tech background.
That being said, a basic understanding of tech is definitely needed if you want to become a Product Manager.
Myth 7: A PM’s job is done once the product is launched
The product manager's job doesn't end once the product is launched. As a PM, you continue to monitor the product's performance, gather feedback, and make improvements based on this information over a period of time.
Product Managers don’t only work on new products, but are responsible for managing both new and existing products. In fact, much of a Product Manager's job involves monitoring and improving existing products based on customer feedback and market trends.
Myth 8: Product Managers only work in software companies
Product management as a role is not exclusive to the tech industry. Product Managers are employed in diverse fields such as retail, healthcare, finance, and others. Product Manager’s real job is to be a problem solver and that skill can be used in industries irrespective of the “tech” and “software” part of it.
Myth 9: Being a PM is easy!
Yes yes, being a PM is easy. You just have to:
- Attend every product meeting with all the teams
- Have the context of everything that’s going on in the product and teams
- Come up with solutions to problems that others throw at you
- Know which problem to prioritize and solve first and be right
- Understand a bit of design, tech, data and marketing at the same time.
Product Management is anything but easy. It requires a wide range of skills, including strategic thinking, communication, leadership, and problem-solving. It's a challenging but rewarding role that requires dedication and hard work.
A better way to evaluate the PM role
When reading a product manager job description, ignore the title for a moment and look for the decisions the role owns. Ask who defines the problem, who sets priorities, who speaks with users, how success is measured, and whether the PM has access to design, engineering, and data partners. Those answers reveal far more than phrases such as “mini-CEO.”
If you are exploring the career, compare two real PM job descriptions and mark which responsibilities are discovery, strategy, execution, analytics, or go-to-market. You will see how much the role varies—and where your current strengths transfer.