Sample Action Plan
See other examples for Product Manager:
Director of Product
Lead a team of product managers while setting product strategy for a business unit. You'll move from building products yourself to enabling your team to build great products—multiplying your impact across the organization.
📋 Overview
🎯 Target Role Summary
Director of Product
Lead a team of product managers while setting product strategy for a business unit. You'll move from building products yourself to enabling your team to build great products—multiplying your impact across the organization.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage and develop a team of 3-8 product managers
- Set product strategy and roadmap for your area
- Align stakeholders across engineering, design, and business
- Own business metrics and drive product-market fit
- Represent product to executive leadership and board
🚀 First Actions to Take
Request to formally mentor 1-2 junior PMs on your team—this builds leadership experience and visibility with your manager
Volunteer to lead a cross-team initiative that requires coordinating multiple PMs—demonstrate you can operate above your current scope
Schedule a career conversation with your VP/CPO to express your interest in leadership and understand the path at your current company
⚡ Skills Analysis
✅ Skills You Already Have
📈 Skills to Build
📚 Suggested Learning Plan
Leadership & Management
The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo
High Output Management by Andy Grove
Product Strategy
Reforge Product Strategy Program
Inspired by Marty Cagan
Executive Presence
Executive Communication Workshop
Radical Candor by Kim Scott
🤝 Networking
Join Lenny's Slack community and engage in the #leadership channel
Connect with Directors of Product at companies you admire through LinkedIn or warm intros
Attend Product Leader Summit or similar conferences focused on product leadership
Find a mentor who has made the IC-to-Director transition in the past 2-3 years
Join a product leadership cohort program like Reforge or Product School's leadership track
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