In my journey into the field of product management, I have come to realize that it is so easy for product managers to get lost in their own world, abilities, and strong opinions at the expense of ignoring who they are building the product for or the team they are working with to build the product.

This inevitably affects the success of the product. It is important to know that product management does not just mean managing the lifecycle of a product but also entails managing people and ensuring your product works as a solution for its users.

☑ Here are signs that show you are faltering in this regard:
1. Bad at listening or taking feedback. As product managers, you should be open to feedback, both the good and the bad. I know it can be draining at times, but you can't build great products without receiving feedback. Feedback helps you improve your product.

2. Not talking to users. You can't build a product without talking to its potential users. It is bad to always assume that this is what the user wants or this is how the user will behave without actually speaking, studying, or observing a user perform that action. If you don't speak to users, how will you know what they want?

3. Micromanagement and lack of delegation. Product management involves a whole lot of tasks and obligations. It is very easy to get burnt out if you micromanage your team and do not delegate. I know the urge is always there to sit beside that developer to see what code they are writing, but please resist that urge! Micromanagement or lack of delegation not only affects you but also your product and development team, leading to suboptimal results, strained relationships, and constant burnouts.

4. Not using data, insights, and metrics. This is where many product managers miss it. You shouldn't be building features without monitoring your metrics or understanding your data insights. Data and metrics help you make informed decisions about your product.

5. Lack of user empathy. The best products are not just aesthetically pleasing and technically advanced. The best products are those built with an understanding of user needs and pain points. The best products are those that solve users' problems.

And the list is endless. Let me know if you have seen any of these signs and how best you tackled them.

My name is Grace Nwaobilor, and I write about product management and tech. Kindly share, like, and follow if you find this valuable.

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