"It’s Time to Fight for a Dual Product Management Career Path: The Reddit Story"

"It’s Time to Fight for a Dual Product Management Career Path: The Reddit Story"

In the world of product management, there is a widely assumed career path that many professionals follow. However, what happens when you realize that this linear progression may not be the right fit for you? This is a dilemma that many product managers face, and it's time to start fighting for a dual product management career path.

Becoming a product manager is often seen as the ultimate achievement in this field. However, the expectation to continue climbing the corporate ladder can be exhausting. What if you're content with where you are in your career? This pressure to constantly move up can lead to losing talented individuals and filling leadership positions with reluctant and incompetent managers.

Some tech companies have implemented partial dual career ladders, such as the principal product manager role. However, there is still an imbalance in how this role is perceived compared to traditional management roles. The argument is often made that product managers need to focus on managing teams rather than being individual contributors. This can lead to losing sight of the product aspects of the job and becoming overwhelmed with management responsibilities.

To make dual product management career paths a reality, we need to establish some core principles. First and foremost, product management should be recognized as a legitimate career rather than just a stepping stone. Individuals should be encouraged to design careers that align with their values and bring them fulfillment. This means allowing space for growth and development in both management and individual contributor roles.

The split between product leadership and people management should be acknowledged and addressed. For principal product managers, the focus should primarily be on product-related tasks rather than solely managing teams. This split should start at an earlier level, allowing individuals to choose which path aligns with their skills and interests.

Lateral movement should also be encouraged in product management careers. Someone who starts as a director may later decide to switch to the principal ladder, and vice versa. This flexibility allows individuals to explore different areas of their expertise and find where they excel.

It's time for product management to receive the same treatment as our technical colleagues. Compensation, bonuses, and equity should be comparable across both management and individual contributor paths. No one should ever feel like they have to give up what they love in order to advance in their career.

Now, let's explore the story of Reddit and how it relates to the fight for a dual product management career path.

Over its 17-year history, Reddit has become one of the top 10 sites in the world, with over half a billion monthly active users. Its founders, Alexis Ohanian and Steve Huffman, had a vision to build the "front page of the web." In the early days, they faced challenges in distribution as there were no app stores. They decided to build a web app instead, combining the social bookmarking features of del.icio.us with the quality content of Slashdot.

To seed content on the platform, Alexis and Steve became the top posters themselves and even created fake accounts to give the impression that the site was larger than it actually was. Their efforts paid off, and Reddit started gaining traction. They were soon joined by Aaron Swartz, another Y Combinator graduate, who helped accelerate feature releases, including the highly popular comments section.

Despite its success, Reddit faced competition from Digg, which seemed to be winning the battle for the front page of the internet. As a corporate parent, being the second-place founder was not easy for Steve and Alexis. In 2009, they made the difficult decision to leave Reddit. However, their departure coincided with the creation of the Ask Me Anything (AMA) subreddit, which quickly became a hit and attracted famous individuals to participate regularly.

Now, let's dive into three actionable pieces of advice for those looking to fight for a dual product management career path:

1. Quarterly planning: Just like Reddit had to adapt and make strategic decisions to stay competitive, product managers should regularly evaluate their career paths. Set aside time each quarter to reflect on your goals, strengths, and interests. Consider if you're on the right path or if it's time to make a change. Don't be afraid to pivot and explore different areas of product management.

2. Seek mentorship and coaching: To excel in both management and individual contributor roles, it's important to seek guidance from experienced professionals. Find mentors who have successfully navigated both paths and learn from their insights. Additionally, invest in coaching to develop the necessary skills for effective people management and product leadership.

3. Embrace continuous learning: Product management is a rapidly evolving field, and staying up-to-date with industry trends and best practices is crucial. Take advantage of online courses, workshops, and conferences to expand your knowledge and skills. This continuous learning will not only make you a more valuable asset but also open up new opportunities for growth and advancement.

In conclusion, it's time to fight for a dual product management career path. Recognize that product management is a legitimate career in itself, and individuals should be encouraged to design careers that align with their values and bring them fulfillment. Implement core principles that acknowledge the split between product leadership and people management, allowing for lateral movement and comparable compensation. Learn from the success story of Reddit and apply actionable advice to navigate your own product management journey.