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I used to believe that the Best Product Managers had a unique set of skills that were beyond the reach of other PMs.
But after observing the top 1% PMs for years, I realised their secret is surprisingly simple: there are 10 things they consistently do.
And you can do them too.
This detailed guide unpacks the ten habits: what they are, why they're essential, and how you can build them.
(If you want a summarised version of this, here is a LinkedIn post on the same topic.)
The 10 Habits of Top PMs
Habit #1: Focus on impact
Creating impact is the single most important job of a product manager.
Most PMs either forget or get too busy to ensure a never-ending focus on creating impact. Great PMs, on the other hand, only work on tasks that contribute to the larger goals. They regularly review their goals so that they can ensure that they’re investing all of their time and effort on the right things.
They eliminate, deprioritise, or delegate things that do not contribute to the goals.
Top PMs do this because the more time they spend on the right things, the more impact they create for the user and the business, and the more appreciation they receive. They do it consistently for long periods of time, which helps them build a reputation for producing great products and creating impact.
Building this habit sounds easy. Theoretically, all you need to do is remember your goals and prioritise the tasks that directly contribute to the goals.
The problem starts when...
There is an "urgent" task your manager wants you to do, an important customer needs a new feature "right now", or an exec has a new idea she wants you to start working on immediately.
So the real challenge is twofold:
Identifying the tasks that contribute to larger goals.
Saying NO to the other "important, urgent, critical" requests.
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer or straightforward guide for the first question—you need to put in the time to learn and figure it out based on your context, circumstances, amount of access to leadership, and many other factors.
With that said, a few things generally work:
Regularly review your goals
Validate with your manager (and other leaders) which of your tasks aligns with the larger goals
Before starting a new project, ask yourself, "How does this contribute to my goals?"
Now, let's discuss how to say "NO." To say NO, you need to know and practice these five things:
Understand the requester’s goals and motivation. If it doesn't align with the larger goals, tell them. And say no.
Don't react. If the ask is complicated, take your time before you say yes/no. Nothing is as "urgent" as they make it seem.
Highlight the tradeoff. Saying yes to something new means deprioritising something old. Show (not tell) them about this tradeoff and prove why their request deserves a no at the moment.
Be transparent. When you say no, you should have a logical reason. Take the time to make them understand your reason.
Don't be an asshole. Hear them out, respect their opinion, and say no only if you mean it. And when you say no, take the time to explain why you said no.
To build this habit:
Set clear goals
Relentlessly prioritise your work regularly. If it does not add to the goals, don't do it.
Regularly review progress and goal alignment with your manager. Be sure that others agree with your perspective on what is important and what is not.
Practice saying no. A lot.
Time-box non-impactful tasks. If you absolutely have to work on things that don't contribute to your goals, find ways to limit your effort and time on them. Find other people you can delegate to or think of hacky, quick solutions.
Habit #2: Deeply understand users' needs
A deep understanding of the users' needs, not just at a surface level, but the core jobs-to-be-done, is non-negotiable for Great PMs.
This one should be pretty obvious (and if it is not, then you're doing something wrong)
The only way to create products that users love so much that they can't imagine their lives without them is to solve their real problems. Great PMs know this, so they spend all their energy uncovering and defining the "real problems" before thinking of a solution.
Great PMs also find the best methods and processes to discover user problems. Everyone “recommends” doing user research, interviewing users, looking at data, talking to other teams (like sales and CS), etc. And rightly so–these are all effective tactics for understanding users.
But these methods take a lot of time. Great PMs know that. Hence, they don't wait for annual planning, investor pressure, or an external trigger to get started. They're always (literally 365 days a year) doing product discovery and learning more about their users.
To build this habit:
Dedicate time to thinking about users.
Engage with users as much as possible.
Create systems to allow easy flow of information from sales, CS, and other teams to the product team and vice versa.
Analyse competitors. Understand what they're doing better or worse than you.
Think in terms of "jobs-to-be-done" and not features.
Spend more time (>60%) on discovering user problems and less time doing everything else (including building solutions)
Once you understand their problems, invest only in those solutions that actually solve the right problems. For that, you need to build habit #3.
Habit #3: Keep users front and center
Uncovering the user's needs is only the first step.
And we need to create solutions that meet these needs. To make that happen, it is critical that
The relevant people and teams understand, and process user needs in the same way as the PM.
Everyone uses the common understanding to prioritise the most significant needs in every aspect of product development
Ensure that you deprioritise everything else, even if others disagree.
Great PMs ensure they are always the strongest advocate and representative of the user's voice. They do all discussions, make strategic decisions, and prioritise their roadmap with the user in mind.
This relentless focus on the user fosters a culture of empathy and customer-centricity within the team.
To build this habit: Every time you make critical product decisions or prioritise problems to solve, ask yourself, "How does this benefit our users?"
Habit #4: Understand the product, market and industry
PMs make many critical decisions, which not only decide what they work on but also influence what other teams and people work on.
It is essential to make these decisions well.
An effective way to improve the quality of these decisions is to obtain as much knowledge as possible–about the product, market, competition and industry.
Great PMs always know their product's features, strengths, weaknesses, competitor offerings, and market trends very well. This allows them to identify opportunities, capitalise on them, and make informed decisions.
To build this habit:
Stay close to the product (irrespective of your designation)
Invest time in learning about its strengths and limitations.
Dedicate 2-3 hours per month to stay informed about industry developments.
Use all the knowledge to inform your product roadmap and stay ahead of the competition
Habit #5: Always balance speed and quality
Great PMs deliver products efficiently without sacrificing quality.
All PMs prioritise roadmaps to ensure teams always work on the highest ROI problems. But great PMs know that prioritisation is not always straightforward. Some tradeoffs require them to choose speed over quality (or vice versa.)
They do not fear making decisions in such scenarios.
Because they understand the product, users, business, and market really well (see habit # 4 above), they have the required knowledge, expertise, and experience to choose the best option (given the problem at hand).
Fighting competitive pressure? Prioritise speed.
Focusing on long-term value creation? Prioritise user research, testing, and development.
To build this habit:
Always set clear goals and have multiple milestones to measure progress.
Stay aware of the business and user needs.
Do not fear if you have to choose speed or quality over the other.
Habit #6: Knows how to execute well
Great PMs successfully deliver product initiatives on-time (despite all the challenges.)
They work closely with the right people at the right time to ensure that everyone is executing on the right things, to minimise risk, and to deliver solutions in a timely and high-quality manner.
Working with multiple talented (and opinionated) teams is not easy. So, great PMs build systems and processes to enable accountability, transparency, and collaboration.
To build this habit:
Establish clear communication channels with the relevant teams.
Set realistic goals and expectations.
Always provide the necessary context.
Unblock your teams when needed.
Do everything needed to help your team effectively execute deliverables and achieve desired outcomes.
Habit #7: Uses data and intuition well
Great PMs know when to use data to inform their decisions (and when to use intuition)
They use data to understand what worked or failed in the past, learn how users use their product, and determine what users love and hate.
But they also lean on intuition when there isn't enough data or the data does not answer the questions they're asking.
To build this habit:
Ground your decisions in data when there is data.
But also trust your gut when the numbers are unclear or innovation calls for a leap of faith.
Habit #8: Reduce Ambiguity and Simplify Things
Great PMs never fear ambiguity. They are exceptional at simplifying open-ended, vague, and complex problems.
They proactively identify uncertainties and gather the necessary information to provide clear direction. They break down complicated tasks into manageable parts, which enables their teams to focus on actionable tasks without feeling overwhelmed.
They're also excellent communicators (see habit #9). They communicate complex concepts in simple and understandable terms, never using jargon. They focus on the essence of the issue, ensuring that everyone understands the critical points.
To build this habit:
Always seek ways to reduce ambiguity and complexity in your product and processes.
Start by asking the right questions to get to the root of the problem.
Take time to structure your thoughts and create clarity.
Encourage your team to do the same, fostering a culture of simplicity and focus.
In meetings, be the voice that seeks to clarify and simplify.
When faced with complex decisions, break them into smaller, more manageable decisions.
Habit #9: Communicate Well
Great PMs are masters of communication–their messages are clear, concise, and impactful.
They understand their audience and the audience's communication preferences. They use this knowledge to tailor their communication style to the audience, ensuring that the audience understands the intended message. This builds trust and transparency (which is essential to succeed.)
They create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts. When others share thoughts, questions, or feedback, great PMs actively listen, process, learn, and then respond (and learn from everything they consume).
To build this habit:
Invest time (and money) to learn effective communication. (It will be the best investment you will make in your career.)
Learn how your audience likes to communicate, and then try to stay true to their preferences.
Make your communication simple, to the point, and concise.
Share important information regularly to ensure the right people are always informed and in the loop.
Listen, empathise, and process information before responding or sharing your thoughts.
Habit #10: Build and Leverage Strong Relationships
Great PMs build strong relationships and leverage them to improve the quality of their work (and the chances of success.)
They identify key stakeholders who influence their product's success and invest time in understanding them personally and professionally. They nurture these relationships through proactive, regular, and transparent communication.
They then leverage these relationships to ensure the right people align with and support their goals. This alignment and support from critical individuals is crucial for a PM's success, regardless of the product or company.
A PM succeeds only when the right people understand and back their goals.
To build this habit:
Regularly identify critical stakeholders.
Understand their roles, goals, and influence on your product.
Invest time in getting to know them personally.
Maintain consistent communication through updates, meetings, and informal check-ins.
Be transparent about challenges and successes. This will create a foundation of trust and build confidence in your leadership and vision.
Here is a cheat sheet (from the Fundamentals of Product Management course) for determining who to build relationships with and why.
That is it for this guide.
If you’re still reading, I know you’re serious about becoming a top tier PM. That is why, I feel you will really resonate with the Fundamentals of Product Management (FOP) course.
The curriculum covers all of the essential aspects of product management, and actually shows you how you can master each of them.
[As a subscriber, you get a 25% discount. Just use code: JAPM25]
With that out of the way, here is the last section of this edition:
Other learnings I shared this week:
Product management is overhyped. This is what a PM is responsible for. (This is also what I talk about in detail the FOP course)
A simplistic view of the roles of a product team. (Even though Marty Cagan disagrees)
See you next week!