Which Skill is Better for a Product Manager, Creativity or Managerial?

In the intricate dance between creativity and management, a Product Manager stands at the crossroads, tasked with steering a product through conception to realization. I ask the question, should you aim to hire a Product Manager who is a creative force or a managerial anchor? As someone who has traversed the realms of innovation and organization, I find myself compelled to explore both perspectives before declaring my allegiance.

The Case for Management: The Architect of Structure

In the world of business, structure is the backbone of success. A Product Manager, often hailed as the linchpin, orchestrates a symphony of tasks, timelines, and talents. The managerial prowess required to synchronize disparate teams, from development to marketing, is akin to conducting an intricate orchestra. The ability to define goals, allocate resources efficiently, and navigate the intricate maze of deadlines is the quintessence of a managerial role.

The Product Manager is the compass guiding the team through the tumultuous waters of deadlines, ensuring that every department is in sync with the overarching vision. In this light, one might argue that the role is fundamentally a management function, focused on aligning resources and executing plans with precision.

The Case for Creativity: The Visionary Architect of Innovation

While the organizational acumen is undeniable, the heart of Product Management beats in rhythm with creativity. At its core, a Product Manager is a visionary, an architect of innovation, and a custodian of user-centric design. The ability to see beyond the horizon, to envision a product that not only meets but exceeds user expectations, requires a spark of creativity.

The creative aspect emerges in the ideation phase, where a Product Manager is tasked with dreaming up features that resonate with the audience. It's about infusing the product with a unique identity, making it stand out in a sea of offerings. The decisions made in terms of design, user experience, and feature prioritization are inherently creative acts.

The Synthesis: Embracing the Duality

In my journey through the corridors of product development, I've come to a resounding conclusion: a Product Manager cannot be confined to a singular label. The essence of effective product management lies in embracing the duality of both creative ideation and meticulous management.

Consider, for instance, the product roadmap. Crafting a roadmap requires not just the ability to structure tasks and set deadlines but also a creative understanding of market trends, user needs, and the evolving landscape of technology. The roadmap is not a static document but a living, breathing entity that evolves with the ebb and flow of creativity and management.

In my opinion, reducing the role of a Product Manager to a mere managerial function undermines the potential for groundbreaking innovation. It's not merely about efficiently moving the pieces on the chessboard; it's about envisioning a game-changing strategy that leaves competitors in awe.

The Creative Nexus: Going Beyond Centralization

In a world where innovation is the currency of progress, a Product Manager should not be confined to the role of a central cog in a machinery of functions. Instead, they should be the creative nexus, the driving force that propels the product into uncharted territories. The power lies not just in coordinating tasks but in inspiring the team to think beyond boundaries, fostering an environment where creativity thrives.

In conclusion, the non-debate over whether a Product Manager is primarily a creative force or a managerial anchor is akin to asking whether the moon is more important than the sun. Both are essential, each casting its unique brilliance upon the product development landscape. To label a Product Manager as solely one or the other is to stifle the inherent duality that defines this role. The true magic lies in finding the delicate balance, where creativity and management dance in harmony, propelling the product into realms of unprecedented success.

With all of that said, I would take a creative product manager over a well-organised one, because I can teach someone to be more organised, however, creativity and curiosity come from within a person and both are hard to teach.