Successful product managers balance visionary thinking with pragmatic execution — they spot opportunities while understanding real-world constraints. While users may suggest valid features, the true opportunity lies in understanding why they're requesting them: what pain point are they trying to solve?

Effective PMs act as "mini-CEOs" of their product areas, bringing vision while delivering value. The key traits of a product manager include:

• Customer empathy: Great PMs understand user needs beyond surface requests. They solve problems rather than just building features, prioritizing by value not feature lists.
• Communication skills: PMs must articulate complex ideas to diverse stakeholders, from engineers to executives.
• Leadership: Despite lacking direct authority, PMs influence through vision and persuasion. They adapt when data suggests a different approach.

Successful PMs expand their knowledge across technical, business, and user domains. They balance data-driven decisions with sound judgment, knowing when to trust metrics and when to rely on experience.