Over the years, I have often been surprised by how many people say: “But I do not have time for Product Strategy…”
Product management is not a nine-to-five role. It can be demanding, especially when the operational side takes over. Steering your development team, engaging with account managers, responding to customer queries. Before long, your day is filled with conversations and coordination.
The position, often described as being like a spider in the web, naturally draws you into becoming the point of contact. You become the glue that holds people together around a product. But that is only one part of the job. If you allow the operational demands to dominate your calendar, you risk losing sight of the bigger picture.
Product management is both strategic and operational. To build good products, it is essential to carve out time to think, to plan, and to reflect.
One piece of advice I often share when mentoring Product Managers is this: schedule time for Product Strategy. Block it out. Protect it. You need to manage the product; do not let the product manage you.
Strategic thinking is not a distraction from delivery; it is what enables it. Taking time to plan reflects a goal-oriented mindset. It helps ensure your effort leads somewhere meaningful, rather than simply keeping busy.
Part of the DNA Insights woven through the book The DNA of a Product Manager.
Leave a Reply