Elon Musk, who is currently (at the time of writing this article) the richest man on the planet, is a well-known figure in the technology sector and an entrepreneur who has founded multiple successful Silicon Valley firms. Elon Musk is often portrayed as a superhuman with unending ethics, the courage to face significant personal risks, and an extraordinary intellect. This is all unquestionably accurate, and it significantly influenced his success. As a product manager, engineer, and inventor in addition to being a successful businessman, Musk is a genius.
As Tesla Motors' chief product architect, he oversees all aspects of the company's product strategy, including product design, engineering, and production. In addition, he is also the principal designer of SpaceX. And most recently he took over the well-known social media platform Twitter. Many enthusiasts who are undergoing product management training idolize Musk. However, what makes Elon Musk unique in the field of product management? Or, how can other product managers apply the unique lessons they learn from him to their own work?
Elon offered so many examples of abilities that anybody of us can learn to help us accomplish our objectives. Some of those abilities are listed below, which are very important for product managers and can help them excel in their line of work:
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Keep learning new things constantly
Elon has always been a superb student who never stops expanding his knowledge. Elon embraces studying each new subject with the same enthusiasm for reading as he does. Because he was confident in his ability to swiftly acquire everything he needed to know because of his love of reading, he had no fear of learning anything new.
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To succeed in the product management job, you must be knowledgeable in a wide range of topics. We should all use Elon's learning philosophy in how we handle each work-related difficulty. The next time you're going to start a new project, be an avid reader and learn all there is to know about it before you start working on a solution.
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Engage in cross-disciplinary expertise
Elon showed a keen interest in a wide range of fields from the beginning. People should acquire more interdisciplinary talents like Elon's, which include a wide technical and scientific background, an MBA, and the ability to manage projects, plan events, and raise funds. Elon stood out even among engineers thanks to his wide range of abilities.
Product management also represents an interdisciplinary profession and the finest product managers we've seen dive deep into various verticals, like Elon. They might be very knowledgeable in design, engineering, business, and other fields in addition to products.
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Develop a powerful vision
When people inquire about how to create a compelling vision, Elon Musk is the example most constantly used. What Musk has created that so many Silicon Valley entrepreneurs don't is a compelling worldview. Elon Musk emphasizes the value of renewable energy and the need to make humans an interplanetary species in his presentations, which you may have seen.
Having a vision helps in bringing the brightest brains to focus on your issue. It encourages your team to put out additional effort in order to realize the goal. The most effective product managers, like Elon, create a compelling vision that the whole team supports. And they constantly emphasize to their employees how their ongoing projects are closely related to that goal.
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Consistently strive to sell
Elon Musk is renowned for having strong salesmanship skills. Elon is aware that in order to pull off seemingly impossible undertakings, he will need to enlist the aid of others. The greatest method to achieve this is to provide a thorough preview of the future to the public before you can really bring it about.
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Product managers deal with several stakeholders who must be taken along on their path, whether it be their R&D department, executives, or consumers. The finest product managers are aware that sometimes using some salesmanship is the most efficient course of action.
Every product manager should use a simple methodology to develop their own personal inclinations, much like Elon Musk did. Finding the issue you are passionate about addressing with your product is the first step to successful product management. Make it your aim and everything else will fall into place.