What are some of the qualities that make an excellent product manager?

Remember to include qualities that would be advantageous from a business perspective as well as a cultural perspective. Coinbase is very clear about the soft skills they seek, and interviewers value candidates who demonstrate an understanding of these qualities in their responses.

"Excellent product managers exhibit a mix of qualities, but I believe there are five main qualities that contribute directly to success in the role. First, product managers need to have solid product development experience. They need to know how to drive product delivery from the inception phase all the way to the end of a product's lifecycle. This requires product managers to understand the processes of several business domains such as engineering, marketing, finance, accounting, customer service, legal, etc. Excellent product managers understand how the work they do relies on all of these groups, and they collaborate in the right way at the right time.

Second, product managers need to be creative and visionary leaders. Product managers are typically responsible for developing and socializing the vision for the solutions they are responsible for. These responsibilities rely heavily on a product manager's intuition and creative thinking abilities.

Third, product managers need strong analytical skills. Excellent product managers understand how to develop strategies based on metrics. They have experience performing competitor analysis, market analysis, product performance analysis, and customer experience analysis. They know how to sift through large data sets to draw the big picture conclusions necessary to make tactical changes while working toward long-term strategic milestones. The roadmaps they build are easily understood and are backed by reliable analysis.

Fourth, excellent product managers have a passion for creating optimal customer experiences. They have the ability to think from the perspective of the customer. They regularly and convincingly advocate for their customers. They are skilled at customer outreach and take pride in resolving issues quickly on behalf of the customer. Excellent product managers consistently deliver value.

Finally, I believe excellent product managers are strong facilitators and leaders. They understand the importance of collaboration and leadership through influence. They work to align the teams they work with around a shared vision, help to resolve conflicts, and remove roadblocks to success. They have a positive energy that serves to motivate others to be successful."