Product Owners - signs you have a great one !

Product Owners are key to the success of an agile team and to overall successful product delivery. I have had several situations in my career where the product owner was either absent or not fully available to the team. I have seen both great and not so great product owners.

Traits of Great Product Owners

1. Owns the backlog and prioritization. Is present for the key meetings and ceremonies, provides helpful, constructive feeback to the team. If they can't make a meeting, they help make up for the miss.
2. Establishes a clear product vision, persona descriptions and value maps/customer experience maps and product roadmaps.
3. Takes team members along the experience journey. Takes the time to share the vision, to train, and coach. I have met Product Owners even take field trips to visit customers and field personnel with members of the team, so that they can see the impact of new screens, reports and functions in the real world.
4. Keeps the work constant and tries not to overload the team with unrealistic deadlines and frequent "urgent" items. They understand what a constant and even pace means.
5. Works well with the Scrum Master. Forms partnerships and understandings.

The product owner must have a good relationship with both the scrum team as well as the business and organizational stakeholders that they represent. They are true leaders.

The pictures and responsibilities lists don't tell enough of a story. The product owner is a true team leader, and great scrum teams know their value.

What are your experiences?