Sprint 8 :: Traits & Psychology Of a Product Owner - What does HR Look for?
by Tiago Gomes
Game Balance! Game Balance is a component in game design and development, and it is used to make games far more interesting and adaptable for players. So, let's try balancing the game of the product owner experience! ⚖️
If you expect to find in the following sentences a checklist of skills or characteristics that any Product Owner should have, I am sorry to disappoint you right at the beginning of this text.
In fact, from my point of view, there is no infallible formula. There is no step-by-step journey in a complex world where several paths can lead us to virtuous destinations. 🚝
In the following lines, what you will find is the sincere and transparent view of one person and not of all Human Resources professionals’ points of view.
When we open a recruitment process for a Product Owner position, what are we looking for? Well, the most honest answer is that I don't have a one size fits all answer.
It depends on many factors; we don't recruit in a vacuum. We recruit in a specific ecosystem, which is today's tech market in the city of Porto, thriving and full of opportunities; we recruit in a corporate context with the idiosyncrasies of each corporate culture and strategy and business activity; we recruit in the context of the team and teams with which this person will interact and the leadership with whom he or she will have to work.
In addition to these variables, we have, of course, the skills that we are looking for in the candidate’s words, both technical and personal skills. We want to understand his/her learning potential, together with the strategy and ambitions he/she has for his/her career. There are many issues to consider when looking not only for the right person but also for the right fit.
What do we mean by the Game Balance mentioned at the beginning of this text?
Imagine a rubber band between your hands. Start pulling them apart by pulling the rubber band between your fingers...
Imagine that on one hand, we have the analytical, fact-based decisions, and on the other hand the creativity, disruptive mindset, and challenging assumptions. A difficult balance, but these are not mutually exclusive characteristics, right? You can keep the rubber band in permanent tension without breaking it. So, an excellent Product Owner, from what I can observe, is also able to keep this balance.
Now, imagine the same rubber band, but now the first hand represents your intellectual humility, openness to others' ideas, and acceptance that you can be wrong; on the second hand your combative side, confidence in your skills, experience, and knowledge. This exercise could continue representing many other characteristics, such as Relationships Vs Task or Stability Vs Adaptability.
The Balance Game I'm sharing is this, between characteristics/skills that we sometimes feel we are forced to choose one over another, but in fact, these are the balances we are continually seeking throughout our journey.
Naturally, the ability to manage stress, time, and priorities, to understand how he/she deals with pressure, and how he/she tends to negotiate are inevitable points, not from the perspective of looking for a correct answer to any of these topics, but from the perspective of knowing and predicting how the person we have in front of us will be on a daily basis, facing the challenges we have predicted for him/her.
You should be asking what will be required at the level of experience and training. Well, of course, the search for knowledge about the product management field of study is an advantage that we can´t ignore. More than the certifications and training, it is interesting to understand what meaningful learning was kept and how it will manifest itself in behavior and actions.
Regarding the experience, the awareness about the journey, and how you can transfer those learnings, mistakes, and successes from your experience to the new reality you are entering could be the key. 🔑
“We do not learn from experience; we learn by reflecting on experience”.
Tiago Gomes & The Product Land ⛰️
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