Product Management Craftsmanship—Mastery level
In the previous post, product management was considered as a craft. Specifically mentors, a salient features of a craft, were discussed. Newer product managers can avoid making costly, live-fire mistakes by tapping into the experience of mentors available to them. I suspect that most product managers have mentors available to them. Whether or not they choose to utilize their mentors is a separate issue. In this post, I briefly discuss another characteristic of the craftsmanship: mastery level.
In traditional craftsmanship, mastery level is thought of as three successive stages: apprentice, journeyman, and master.
Apprentices are newcomers. They have embarked on a journey to learn the craft. They may have started this journey some time prior, but have not yet acquired enough competency to practice it without the guidance of a teacher (i.e. mentor). A common mistake of apprentices is to underestimate their own lack of knowledge in their apprentice stage. I would like to say this is caused by enthusiasm and eagerness, but I believe it is often a more sinister cause: pride. Apprentices outward behavior may often be described as cocky as a result of this. Cockiness is expected, they do not yet know.
Journeymen have gained enough experience to be trusted to work on their own, without the direct supervision of a teacher. However, they are not yet considered to be experts at their craft. Apprentices may misjudge journeymen as masters, stemming from the same problem that causes apprentices to misjudge their own competence. However, wise journeymen know that there is much they do not yet know. They understand the depth of their own inexperience. To make up for this, wise journeymen also seek help often. They may be trusted with a great deal more responsibility and independence than an apprentice, but they have a better grasp of their limitations.
Masters have attained a level of competence such that they’re considered experts in their craft. So much so that they’re sought out to solve the most difficult challenges (or practice the highest form of the craft) and to teach others how to do the same. Apprentices are assigned work, journeymen seek out work, and masters are sought out for work. Like wise journeymen, masters know that they lack much knowledge, for it is not possible for even a master to be an expert on all things. They are also more likely to have an in-depth understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses. Finally, in the efforts to improve their skill even beyond their current level often results in advances in the state of the art itself.
Naturally, there is no strict dividing line between the categories of mastery. The boundaries are grey, fuzzy, independent. It may be redrawn depending on the situation, need, or defining individual. In some sense the choice of three as the categories is arbitrary. There is perhaps no other good reason to use three other than simplicity. I myself find this level of categorization sufficiently descriptive as to be useful, yet simple enough to be used in evaluating my own mastery level.
At what level am I, then?
My job role is product manager, and I’m in charge of multiple products at my company. I am often in a situation of having the freedom to and being expected to act as a journeyman. On the other hand, I also look back with some regret on missteps that could have been avoided with a little precaution and guidance. Thus, I’m looking for a way to define myself such that I will be most likely to seek out help. A way that will promote openness to from my boss, and also from all those around me who have a unique perspective to offer. I think the most appropriate level for that is apprentice.
For the last few years I’ve been practicing my own form of product management. I’ve read, listened, accomplished, experienced much, each lesson cultivating my understanding and shaping my opinions and methods. Yet, I have far to go, and I still make the same mistakes from time to time. As an apprentice going on journeyman, it’s time to start putting the lessons to work. Time to stop making the same mistakes, time to start becoming more effective, and time to start organizing the path to achieving my goals.
I believe that product managers must possess and regularly utilize a very wide range of competencies in order to be successful. Most disciplines can benefit from strength in a multitude of competences. To product management, however, breadth is not just helpful, it is essential. Organizing and progressing on the skills and competencies necessary to achieve a mastery of product management is a major life project in-and-of-itself. Step one: I’m committing discovering what it takes, and documenting the Way.
