All the things I’ve been able to delegate to AI has me pretty excited for the future. Spinach.io and Otter.ai can transcribe and capture action items and automatically send them out. Writemyprd can setup a PRD structure with the basics so I can spend more time on the parts it’s not so good at, just yet anyways. And for help with everything from crafting UI messaging to feedback on how to improve my writing for blog posts like these I can ask ChatGPT.
All this has helped to free up my time to focus on areas that lead to more and better results, which for purposes here, could be considered the uniquely human aspects of the job like building stronger relationships with and across teams.
That said, in-demand skills are always changing and this is a great opportunity to think about what the PM skillset of the future looks like. Someone recently asked me what I think the most indispensable skills of a great PM are so I decided to put some thoughts together.
Big Picture Thinking
- Grasp the big picture, understanding broader organizational and global contexts.
- Anticipate potential shifts and plan for various scenarios, always ready to adapt.
- Evaluate for risks and opportunities with a strategic mindset, staying ahead of trends.
Focus on impact
- Shift focus from merely completing tasks to achieving meaningful project outcomes.
- Define clear, impactful goals and drive the team towards realizing these objectives.
- Measure success by the positive changes and benefits delivered, not just the outputs.
Team motivator and coach
- Build and maintain high team morale, understanding individual motivations.
- Act as a communication hub, ensuring clear and open dialogue within the team and with stakeholders.
- Recognize and address team challenges early, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.
Opportunity seeking/out side of the box thinker
- Constantly seek alignment between project goals, team capabilities, and organizational strategy.
- Encourage creative thinking to overcome obstacles and streamline project execution.
- Embrace and implement new solutions that enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Tool/Methodology Agnostic
- Stay methodology-agnostic, choosing the right tools and processes for the project’s needs.
- Prioritize adaptability, applying the most effective strategies to each unique challenge.
- Avoid rigid adherence to processes, focusing instead on what best serves the project’s success.
Thrive on uncertainty and learn new skills quickly
- Embrace uncertainty as an opportunity for growth and learning.
- Quickly adapt to new information, technologies, and methodologies.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, always seeking ways to do things better.
Sound Decision Making
- Use AI to sift through data from multiple sources, ensuring decisions are based on comprehensive, up-to-date information.
- Encourage a culture of shared decision-making, using AI as a tool to spark dialogue and gather diverse perspectives that lead to well-rounded and robust decisions that are supported by the entire team.
Above all this, sound judgment in decision making — whether that involves people, data, or technology — and the ability to make an impact beyond oneself by building trust is what will truly differentiate great PMs from the rest. And at the end of the day, the most important thing is not to take things so seriously, to find time to have fun and be someone other people want to be around.
APPITY SNACKS 