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The best Product Managers don’t wait for feedback, they go get it. By asking a few trusted teammates “What’s one thing I could do to be more effective as a Product Manager?” you uncover blind spots, build trust, and grow faster.
The key isn’t just asking, it’s acting. Show your team that feedback leads to change.
Example:
❌ “Design never gives me feedback.”
✅ “After hearing I was rushing reviews, I started looping in design earlier. Reviews are smoother, and collaboration has improved.”
Product Managers get feedback all the time, from metrics, from users, and even from leadership. However, data about the product is never the same as feedback about you, meaning when it comes to how you operate as a teammate, collaborator, and leader, most feedback only surfaces during performance reviews, when it’s too late to change the narrative.
Formal reviews are backward-looking. They summarise how others felt about working with you, often months after the fact and while they can be helpful, they’re almost never surprising. At least not in a good way.
Great Product Managers don’t wait for formal reviews, they go looking for feedback before it's packaged, softened, or delayed.
That’s where a self-initiated 360 review comes in, a lightweight, no-tool-needed way to identify your blind spots and build trust at the same time. It’s fast, easy to implement, and surprisingly powerful, but only if you actually act on it.
It’s easier (and often more comfortable) to assume that if no one’s giving you feedback, things must be going fine. But silence doesn’t mean excellence, it often means people don’t feel safe speaking up, or they doubt it’ll lead to real change.
This is especially dangerous in product roles, where you’re constantly navigating cross-functional dynamics. Engineers might be frustrated with how you scope features. Designers might feel sidelined. Stakeholders might be unclear on your roadmap decisions. But unless the pain hits a boiling point, it stays under the surface.
When feedback finally does show up, typically in a quarterly review, a promotion discussion, or worse, an exit interview, it’s too late to do anything meaningful about it.
Think of it this way: if you’re not getting feedback, you’re not getting better. And if you're not getting better, you're falling behind.
The longer you wait, the more likely small frustrations solidify into a reputation that’s hard to shake.
Here’s the secret: people want to give feedback, but only if they feel it’s welcome, safe, and will lead to improvement.
When you proactively ask for input, you do three powerful things:
1️⃣ You show emotional maturity. It takes real confidence to invite critique, especially from peers. Asking the question, “What’s one thing I could do better?”, signals that you’re serious about growth.
2️⃣ You build psychological safety. When teammates see that their feedback is heard and respected, they’re more likely to be honest with you in the future. This builds trust across the team.
3️⃣ You unlock insights you’d otherwise miss. The most valuable feedback rarely shows up in formal reviews. It lives inside conversations, quiet frustrations, or subtle disconnects in collaboration. Asking directly brings it to light.
But here’s the real kicker: You shape your own narrative.
When you take feedback seriously and act on it, you create a personal brand of adaptability and self-awareness. People start to see you not just as a Product Manager, but as a true leader.
This isn’t a formal process. You don’t need a Google Form, a retro board, or a manager’s blessing. All you need is a few minutes, a little courage, and a willingness to listen.
Here’s the playbook:
1️⃣ Pick three people you work closely with.
Aim for a mix:
These people see you in action and will have different perspectives on how you operate.
2️⃣ Ask a simple question.
👉 “What’s one thing I could do to be more effective as a Product Manager?”
Keep it lightweight. Make it clear that you’re genuinely open to their thoughts and that it’s okay to be honest.
3️⃣ Don’t justify. Don’t explain. Just listen.
Even if you disagree, don’t get defensive. Let the input land. Take notes. Thank them.
💡 Pro Tip: If someone says “Everything’s fine,” gently probe. Try: “If you had to pick something, even something small, what would it be?”
4️⃣ Look for patterns. Then act.
You don’t need to address everything. Pick one theme to focus on. Make a change and let them know you’re working on it.
🗣 Feedback from Design: “You bring great ideas, but we often feel rushed in design reviews.”
🎯 Your Action: You start scheduling design input earlier in the cycle. Now, reviews feel calmer, and alignment improves.
5️⃣ Close the loop.
A week or two later, check in with those same people. Ask if they’ve noticed a change. Not only does this reinforce the improvement, it shows you’re serious about growth.
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