AMA: Automattic VP, Product & Operations (WooCommerce), Clara Lee on Product Management Soft and Hard Skills

I'm actually curious if this is widespread, as I've not seen in current or previous Product roles analytical skills being considered more valuable than UX... While analytical skills are important for looking at customer data in aggregate and prioritizing problems by impact, UX skills help PMs dig into the "why" and "how" our customers think and operate. It's a balance: We don't want PMs that "hide behind the numbers," nor do we want PMs that entirely base roadmaps on a handful of customer interviews / limited qualitative feedback.

Having worked in Product in completely opposite contexts, the most valuable soft and hard skills depend on several factors, including product maturity, organizational maturity, availability of supporting functions (e.g., Product Operations, Product Analysts, etc.), and company cultural norms. At WooCommerce/Automattic, the expectations I set for PMs are: 1. Drive the creation and execution of product strategy for your focus area. 2. Lead multi-disciplinary teams through the development process. 3. Cultivate direct connections with our customers. 4. Increase our success in aiding our customers’ success. 5. Contribute to good business unit leadership decisions. With this context, I would say the most important soft and hard skills for PMs at WooCommerce are: Soft skills * Proactive internal communication – up, down, sideways (to peers and cross-functional collaborators). * Spearheading cross-functional collaboration – from defining an inspirational "why" to project-managing a variety of stakeholders toward getting things done. * Deep listening to customers – this includes taking a genuine interest in their feedback, and sometimes hearing what is not said but implied between the lines or in non-verbal cues. Hard skills * Functional expertise – most PMs come from marketing, engineering, or design backgrounds; being able to draw from an area of mastery will inform your POV (and give you one less area to ramp up on!). * Goal setting and accountability – this one is a bit operational, but being able to translate product into measureable impacts will be essential to prioritization and making a solid business case with your teams. This has, implied in it, analytical skills, or at least confidence in quantifying outcomes. * Industry or subject matter expertise – Another thing that will inform your POV and reduce ramp time.

Sharp communication skills that enable proactive stakeholder management. This doesn't just mean blasting memos and updates to everyone, everywhere – it means: * Speaking about what matters to who; * Understanding what is the right timing; * And knowing which channels are most effective for getting your point across. In some organizations, you may be lucky enough to have a Product Operations team to help you with that; in others, you won't. Leaning into comms and stakeholder management means: * Risks are assessed early; * Issues requiring help are unblocked; * Expectations are adjusted at the right time; * And – most importantly – that your teams (from executive leadership to direct reports to cross-functional collaborators) know they can trust you.

I’ve worked in Product across two very different contexts – a company that favored complete alignment versus a company where autonomy was part of their cultural DNA. While there are a lot factors that contribute to retention (industry trends, opportunities for career progression, compensation), the factors in my daily focus are derived from this definition of psychological safety: * Meaning – company vision, team purpose, individual contribution, and belonging. * Mastery – goals and accountability, periodic feedback, recognition, and opportunities to teach/mentor others. * Trust – in the role and team, clear expectations, ownership (and delegation), open communication.