As a Product Owner you probably already have a good knowledge of the domain and market in which you work. However to be the best that you can be there are a few other areas that you should look to improve.
Leadership
Think you are not a leader? Think again! Once you have a vision for your product, you need to lead the team to deliver it. If you are not driving the team, then you are probably fulfilling the role of BA, but an accomplished Product Owner will bring their product to life with the help of their team.
Communication
Having the best ideas in the world are no good if you cannot communicate them. This communication may take the form of written or spoken; both are worthy of attention. Think about discussing priorities with different stakeholders or discussing user stories with the development team. The ability to communicate clearly and accurately is paramount.
Selling & Influencing
Remember the times when you have a clear picture in your mind about the way the product should work yet others have their agenda. The ability to sell your vision and influence the direction of the product is incredibly powerful in a Product Owner’s role. I am not necessarily referring to making real sales, although if you are customer facing this might be just as important.
Process Knowledge
As a Product Owner, you are probably part of a Scrum team. Learning as much about Scrum as possible is always good. You could leave this to the Scrum Master, but as Product Owner, your knowledge should be equal to theirs. Having a thorough understanding of other methodologies can also never hurt.
Creativity
Product Ownership is a creative role, and anything that gets your creative juices flowing is excellent. It could be art, writing, poetry or anything else you enjoy. If it makes you think outside of your product and create something, whether that something is fantastic or not, you will find that being able to take creative risks will help you when thinking about your product and it’s direction.
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