Product leadership isn't a title

Many product managers want to be "visionaries." But vision doesn't ship products. Putting in the effort to communicate with customers does.

Real product leadership isn’t about the title on your business card. It’s about being hands-on with the people who actually use your stuff.

I’ve been there. I’ve had my delivery resources stripped away for "more strategic projects." In the moment, it’s a shock. I was once left with barely enough dev time to keep the lights on.

I could have sat in my office and complained about the hit the roadmap was taking.

Instead, I went to the field.

I visited the insurance customers. I spent time in auto shops, the partners who actually do the work. I immersed myself in their world until I saw our product with new eyes, as both service provider and customer.

Here is what I learned about execution:

• Find Non-Traditional Allies: I went to our accounting team. We figured out how to communicate value in a language the business actually understood.

• Arm the Front Lines: I worked with marketing and sales enablement to create ROI models that were low-cost but high-impact.

• Teach the Loop: Once I saw it work, I didn't keep it a secret. I taught other product managers how to do the same.

The result? Sales increased by over 100% over the next year without adding a single new "visionary" feature.

If I were your startup coach, I’d ask you: When was the last time you stepped out from behind the spreadsheets and executive meetings and into your customer’s daily grind?

Leadership is a walk, not a talk.

What’s the most "non-traditional" place you’ve gone to find a product insight?