How do you know the skillset you need to get promoted? Context matters, but I put together what I evaluate and what I use to coach PMs and Leaders.
CLAIM Area | Skill | Associate | Intermediate | Senior | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Communication | Asking powerful questions | Struggles to go beyond surface-level questions. | Frequently asks clarifying questions. | Asks strategic questions that shape direction. | Shapes the organization's questioning culture. |
Communication | Communication Channels | Uses one preferred channel regardless of context. | Considers medium, but defaults often. | Chooses medium based on impact. | Scales communication frameworks org-wide. |
Communication | Feedback (Giving) | Gives vague or overly general feedback. | Gives basic feedback with occasional value. | Delivers honest and helpful feedback consistently. | Builds feedback-rich environments. |
Communication | Feedback (Receiving) | Defensive and reactive to critical feedback. | Receives feedback but sometimes takes it personally. | Seeks out feedback to improve. | Models feedback culture across teams. |
Communication | Listening | Listens passively, often distracted. | Listens to understand, occasionally distracted. | Actively listens and reflects back understanding. | Coaches others in listening and communication. |
Communication | Message Clarity | Talks too much, hard to follow. | Can be clear, but not always. | Clear and sharp in what they say. | Helps others tell stories that stick. |
Communication | Saying No | Avoids saying no, easily derailed. | Can say no with peer support. | Says no confidently, explains why. | Protects product focus by institutionalizing no-culture. |
Leadership | Decision-making | Only makes basic, operational decisions. | Links some decisions to strategy with support. | Uses data and context to guide decisions. | Makes strategic decisions under uncertainty. |
Leadership | Facilitation | Facilitates simple meetings with guidance. | Comfortable facilitating within the team. | Facilitates sessions with diverse teams. | Facilitates cross-org strategy and learning. |
Leadership | Goal Setting | Cannot define high-level goals. | Can define goals with help. | Defines and aligns goals with broader vision. | Aligns teams around long-term mission. |
Leadership | Lead by Context | Focuses on tasks, not context. | Provides basic context to the team. | Aligns team with compelling context. | Shapes context across multiple teams. |
Leadership | Mentoring | Not ready to support others’ development. | Can mentor on basic product skills. | Mentors across functions on product craft. | Builds mentorship programs and culture. |
Leadership | Product Storytelling | Shares ideas, but it’s hard to follow or connect. | Tells clear stories in small settings. | Builds narratives that create alignment and energy. | Tells stories that rally teams and execs around bold bets. |
Leadership | Situational Leadership | Sticks to one default leadership style. | Understands leadership styles, trying to adapt. | Adapts leadership style effectively. | Coaches other leaders on adaptive leadership. |
Leadership | Vision Crafting | Can follow the vision but struggles to see long-term. | Contributes feedback to shape vision. | Helps build product vision and connects teams to it. | Drives product vision and links it to company strategy. |
Alignment | Go-to-Market Collaboration | Knows GTM happens but stays in product bubble. | Joins some launch conversations. | Partners early with GTM teams to shape messaging and rollout. | Drives cross-functional GTM strategy across departments. |
Alignment | Handling Conflicts | Avoids or freezes during conflicts. | Can name and address conflict with support. | Resolves conflicts with maturity and neutrality. | Turns conflicts into alignment opportunities. |
Alignment | Influence | Limited influence on tactical topics. | Influences peers and middle management. | Drives alignment across org levels. | Influences executive-level decisions. |
Alignment | Relationship Building | Maintains polite work relationships. | Builds positive working relationships. | Nurtures deep, value-driven relationships. | Creates cross-functional trust networks. |
Alignment | Stakeholder Management | Identifies key stakeholders. | Understands stakeholder motivations. | Builds trust with influential stakeholders. | Shapes stakeholder strategies beyond own team. |
Impact Thinking | Customer Empathy | Recognizes customer importance, rarely engages. | Observes some users, avoids deeper involvement. | Involves users continuously in the loop. | Institutionalizes user-centric practices. |
Impact Thinking | Learning Mindset | Wants to avoid failure and stick to what’s known. | Learns from some failures but fears risks. | Tests and learns quickly from failure. | Builds psychological safety for innovation. |
Impact Thinking | Market Scanning | Knows competitors exist, but doesn't track them. | Reads competitor updates now and then. | Regularly tracks competitors and uses insights to shape ideas. | Anticipates market moves and positions product ahead. |
Impact Thinking | Outcome Setting | Needs help setting outcomes. | Sets outcomes, though needs validation. | Owns outcomes across initiatives. | Evangelizes outcome-first culture. |
Impact Thinking | Revenue Impact Awareness | Understands product costs money but doesn’t think about it. | Notices revenue-related metrics but doesn’t connect the dots. | Knows how product moves key metrics like revenue or churn. | Pushes features and bets that unlock business growth. |
Impact Thinking | Uncovering Problems | Depends on others to define problems. | Begins identifying problems aligned to goals. | Partners to frame and reframe strategic problems. | Drives systemic discovery practices. |
Impact Thinking | Value Orientation | Focuses on delivering features. | Tries to link outcomes with value. | Champions value creation through outcomes. | Redefines value narratives for the business. |
Methods & Tools | AI Leverage | Knows AI exists but doesn’t use it yet. | Explores AI tools but not consistent in applying them. | Uses AI to speed up research, write better, and make smarter decisions. | Drives AI adoption across the team and sets a clear use strategy. |
Methods & Tools | Backlog Management | Updates backlog under direction. | Manages backlog in collaboration with team. | Backlog reflects product strategy and priorities. | Creates scalable backlog practices across teams. |
Methods & Tools | Business Models | Reads basic business models. | Builds simple business models with templates. | Evaluates initiatives using business levers. | Designs business models for scale. |
Methods & Tools | Execution Rhythm | Needs help managing delivery. | Keeps teams moving but often firefighting. | Runs tight, focused iterations with purpose. | Builds calm, high-output teams that deliver consistently. |
Methods & Tools | KPI Usage | Reads KPIs but struggles to interpret meaning. | Uses KPIs to guide retrospectives. | Owns KPI design, tracking, and storytelling. | Leverages KPIs to influence strategic shifts. |
Methods & Tools | OKRs | Understands OKRs but doesn’t apply them. | Drafts OKRs with help. | Creates measurable OKRs tied to impact. | Cascades OKRs to connect strategy and action. |
Methods & Tools | Product Discovery | Knows the idea of product discovery. | Participates in continuous discovery activities. | Leads continuous discovery with experimentation. | Operationalizes discovery and AI into core workflows. |
Methods & Tools | Bet Sizing | Misses risky moves until it's too late. | Spots some risky bets, but reacts late. | Surfaces risks early and adjusts plans fast. | Shapes smart betting systems across teams. |
Methods & Tools | Roadmap Ownership | Follows roadmap created by others. | Can co-create roadmaps with guidance. | Drives roadmap with strategic alignment. | Aligns roadmaps to company bets. |
Methods & Tools | Value Propositions | Can read value propositions but not apply them. | Drafts propositions but struggles to validate. | Crafts and evolves propositions with data. | Inspires differentiated value strategies. |