10 Product Manager Superpowers

We’re all driven by different things. Maybe you joined your company because of the mission; if not, that’s fine.

Have you ever talked to a founder and thought, "This person is so clouded by their passion, they obviously can’t see all the obstacles and impossible odds?" They have an almost occult-like belief in their mission and seem to think their startup will be the one that makes it beyond all odds. You might see this as a weakness, but after years of working with founders, I see it as a superpower.

Unwavering belief aside, they still see their fair share of obstacles, but have chosen to acknowledge them and move on.

Founders would love it if you had their superpower as well: a deep belief in their mission, helping you push forward and remain resolved against even the largest challenges. However, for many of us product managers, we just don’t feel that way. Thankfully, like superheroes, there are many other superpowers, each with its own advantages.

Product manager superpowers:

1. The Dreamer: You focus on the long-term vision and shaping of the product. Thinking years into the future, you plot a way to get there, navigating through space and time.

2. The Data-Driven PM: Data drives every decision. Who needs to be bought into the dream when you have data? The data will guide all decisions; just follow the data.

3. The Advocate: You follow the feedback and are the voice of the customer. You indirectly follow the mission by solving customer problems.

4. The Machinist: You’re driven by systems and processes, looking for efficiencies while keeping things running smoothly. Your goal is to go on vacation for a month and return to a well-oiled machine.

5. The Operator: You’re execution-focused, working to ensure things are delivered on time and under budget. You’re great at managing timelines, aligning cross-functional teams, and making tradeoffs.

6. The Entrepreneur: You’re a lone wolf, willing to take risks and challenge the status quo. You act like the founder of your product, being adaptable, resourceful, and thriving in ambiguous situations.

7. The Designer: You have an eye for all things creative. You’re in pursuit of superior UX and award-winning design. If the product works, that’s great too! Your spirit animal is Jony Ive.

8. The Technician: You have a breadth of technical experience and were perhaps a programmer previously. You understand the details and work closely with engineering to solve technical problems.

9. The Diplomat: You excel at managing stakeholders and navigating internal politics. You build consensus across teams, socialize ideas, and resolve conflicts.

10. The Market Expert: A rare power, you have many years of experience in your industry and understand market trends and dynamics. You may have been in sales previously. You have industry connections and are great at identifying opportunities and shifts in the market.

Which super powers do you have? Did I miss any?

We’re all driven by different things. Maybe you joined your company because of the mission; if not, that’s fine. It’s common to fit into several different categories depending on your company and the exact role you find yourself in.

Regardless of your superpower, If you’re sitting there doubting everything your company is doing, you will have difficulty pushing forward. You have to believe it’s possible, even if it seems unreasonable. I’m not scared of heights until I look down. Staring down at the ground (or the obstacles) won’t make gravity disappear. Leveraging your superpower is how you help everyone achieve success.