The Importance of Product Management in the Middle East
Product management is still in its nascent stages in the Middle East, and many businesses and startups are yet to understand its true value. However, for tech startups aiming to scale and succeed, product management is not just beneficial—it is critical. The role of a product manager is a rare and highly sought-after skill set in the region.
As product managers, we need to continuously sharpen our skills and evolve into better professionals to support the startups and companies we work with. In this blog, I will share my experience and highlight ten fundamental rules that every product manager must follow to excel in their career.
1. Building Relationships is Key
A product manager never works in isolation. The product does not belong to you alone—it is the result of collaboration among various stakeholders. Your role is to bring everyone together and ensure seamless cooperation.
Many believe that a product manager is the CEO of the product, but in reality, the role is more of a servant leader. Your job is to facilitate teamwork, align stakeholders, and create a shared vision. Without strong relationships, even the best strategies will fall apart.
2. Own the “What” and “Why”
As a product manager, your responsibility is to define what needs to be built and why it should be built. You are not an engineering manager—your focus should not be on how it is being built or when it will be delivered.
Too often, product managers spend excessive time managing scrum boards and overseeing engineering teams. While this may seem productive, it leads to a dry backlog and a lack of strategic direction. A strong product manager stays focused on defining the vision, validating the problem, and ensuring alignment with business goals.
3. Lead Your Team with Clarity
Your primary role as a product manager is to provide clarity to your team. This involves:
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Translating business needs and customer requirements into actionable objectives.
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Clearly documenting your discoveries and insights.
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Sharing your product roadmap so your team knows what lies ahead.
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Defining success metrics and KPIs to track progress.
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Shielding your team from unnecessary distractions and external noise.
When your team has a well-defined direction, they can focus on executing their tasks effectively and driving impact for the business.
4. Be the Voice of the Customer
A product manager is the customer’s strongest advocate within a company. Often, business decisions may not align with customer needs, and it is your responsibility to highlight the long-term consequences of neglecting user experience.
Use data, surveys, and experiments to make a compelling case for improving customer satisfaction. Demonstrating how a superior user experience contributes to business growth will help in making informed product decisions.
5. Break Big Problems into Smaller, Manageable Chunks
A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that takes three months to build is too long. Similarly, a six-month development cycle for a solution is a recipe for failure. A skilled product manager knows how to break down large problems into smaller, iterative solutions.
By delivering value incrementally, you can test assumptions, validate ideas, and refine the product based on user feedback. This approach ensures agility and minimizes the risk of investing resources in unproven solutions.
6. Focus on the Problem Statement
The foundation of great product management lies in thorough discovery and problem definition. Understanding the root cause of customer pain points is more important than rushing to a solution.
Instead of getting attached to a particular solution, focus on uncovering the underlying problems. Spend at least 75% of your time in discovery and problem definition. The better you define the problem, the more effective the solutions will be.
7. Lead with Data, Not Opinions
Data is objective and unbiased—it provides clarity where opinions create confusion. A strong product manager does not let decisions be dictated by personal preferences or by stakeholders who push their own agendas.
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Set clear objectives and define success metrics.
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Prioritize problem statements based on measurable impact.
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Experiment quickly, iterate, and analyze results based on data.
By making data-driven decisions, you can shift the conversation from opinions to real business impact.
8. Know Your Numbers Inside Out
A product manager without data is like a driver navigating without a map. You must understand the key performance indicators (KPIs) that drive business growth and how product changes influence them.
Mastering analytics will help you:
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Make informed prioritization decisions.
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Justify product investments.
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Track performance effectively.
A strong command of numbers will set you apart as a product manager who truly understands the business impact of their decisions.
9. Create a Fun and Engaging Work Culture
Product management is not just about roadmaps and metrics—it is also about fostering a positive team culture. A happy and motivated team is a productive team.
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Organize fun events, bring donuts, and encourage informal team bonding.
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Schedule one-on-one meetings to listen to team members’ concerns.
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Arrange coffee chats and occasional team lunches.
When your team feels valued and connected, they will be more engaged and innovative in their work.
10. Deliver Value Fast and Fail Fast
In a startup environment, speed is everything. You are operating in a fast-changing market with financial constraints, so every move should be geared towards delivering maximum value in the shortest time.
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Work on hypotheses and validate them quickly.
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Don’t fear failure—fear slow failure. Fail fast, learn fast, and iterate.
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Avoid getting stuck in perfectionism; instead, focus on delivering value to users efficiently.
The most successful product managers know that rapid experimentation and quick iterations are the key to sustained innovation.
Conclusion: Are You a Skipper or a Captain?
How you navigate your journey in product management determines your impact on the industry. Are you merely executing tasks like a skipper, or are you leading the way like a captain?
With the growth of venture capital investments and the rise of experienced entrepreneurs, product management will play a crucial role in the Middle East’s startup ecosystem. However, talent remains one of the biggest challenges. To build stronger and more successful startups, we need more great product managers—and that change begins with us.
By following these ten rules, you can elevate your skills and become a true leader in product management. The future of tech startups in the Middle East depends on the evolution of product managers, and now is the time to step up and lead the transformation.
