In my last post, I mentioned how online research was crucial for the Product Manager position in my case. Since then, I’ve received questions on recommended reading for PMs.

So in Guy Kawasaki fashion, following are my top 10 essential reads for Product Managers:

Disclaimer – about three years ago we introduced agile practices where I work (we used to develop waterfall style) and some of the reading suggestions are geared towards successful adoption of agile methodologies which from my point of view is crucial for success.

1. Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love (Marty Cagan) – This book is “the” essential primer for any product person. From product discovery to the specific process to execute.

2. The Lean Startup (Eric Ries) – A lot more detailed approach on not only product, but overall strategy and how we often times miss the metrics that really matter.

3. Agile Product...

Over the past few months as I’ve network more and had the chance to interact with other product people, stakeholders, and even customers, one consistent question I get is how I got to my current role and is what is the profile of a Product Manager. I consistently stress that NO generic profile fits a product manager and that we come from various backgrounds, however, a few things are consistent in almost all PMs I’ve met:

• They have tremendous product sense and can communicate the reasons why products are great
• They are passionate about products of all kinds (think from kitchen appliances to mobile devices)
• They are polymaths (you know that person in the family that knows a little about all subjects?)
• They have great technical skills
• They get stuff done!

I personally came across Product Management as a stakeholder; I had a technical position in the company and was was called to...