Growing as a PM

Most relevant pillars for PM growth:

1. Strategy: can frame problems and corresponding solutions
2. Execution: can get shit done
3. Leadership & Drive: can lead teams effectively
4. Capacity building: helps the PM function improve

PMs grow in responsibility and seniority when they can demonstrate a consistent improvement across several, or each of these pillars. We quantify improvement along these 3 dimensions:

1. Independence. The degree of dependence on fellow PMs to be successful in the role.
2. Scope. The surface area covered by the PM’s work.
3. Impact. The business impact of the PM’s work.

As you advance along these dimensions, you are able to progress onto the next level. Specifically:

1. You need to exceed expectations with regards to most (if not all) of the PM faculties at your current level.
2. You need to demonstrate performance at the next level consistently for at least one performance cycle (if you redefine or greatly exceed expectations), and usually 2 (if you exceed expectations).

Roles according to Level

Pillars & Levels

Strategy

As the team’s strategist, you are expected to employ domain knowledge, qualitative and quantitative user and market insight, research, creativity, clear communication, problem solving skill and critical thinking to formulate sensible plans that rally your team towards a common goal and clarify how to achieve it, in order to maximally advance the company’s goals and mission.

• L1:
  • You have a fair understanding of your team’s problem space.
  • You contribute to your team’s objectives and roadmap.
  • You are able to run a discovery process to improve your understanding of a particular problem at the feature level.
  • You are able to produce product specifications at the feature level.