Product Leadership Archetypes - Silicon Valley Product Group

"Just recently SVPG Partner Christian Idiodi hosted Shreyas Doshi on his Product Therapy podcast, where they discussed the role of product leadership. If you haven't yet listened to this interview, I would strongly encourage it, as I loved hearing Shreyas' thoughts on this critically important topic. Shreyas described three different archetypes of product leaders: the craftsperson ("it's all about the product"), the operator ("it's about scale"), and the visionary ("it's about the future"). I hope you listen to the full interview as Shreyas shared valuable context and nuance that I consider essential for this foundational topic."

"I immediately resonated with this taxonomy of product leaders, as I know so many of each. And as Shreyas pointed out, yes, most people have skills from multiple archetypes. But he also pointed out that everyone has a preference, and that preference influences so much. One thing I found remarkable about this interview was that Shreyas was able to describe each of the three types of product leaders, seemingly without judgement. He very clearly articulated each archetype, and what each is good at,"

Product leadership can be categorized into three archetypes: the craftsperson ('it's all about the product'), the operator ('it's about scale'), and the visionary ('it's about the future'). Many product leaders possess skills across multiple archetypes, but each leader tends to have a dominant preference that influences decisions and priorities. Product craft skills are fundamental and function as table stakes for effective leadership. Operators bring critical expertise around scaling and operational execution, while visionaries focus on future direction and long-term strategy. Objective articulation of these archetypes clarifies distinct strengths without assigning value judgments. Hiring and role alignment should consider company stage and strategic needs.

Read at Silicon Valley Product Group