Read the original at Lenny’s Newsletter ↗lennysnewsletter.com · subscriber post
By Lenny Rachitsky · lennysnewsletter.com · @lennysan on X · YouTube · LinkedIn
Lenny answers a new PM's question about how to judge day-to-day performance by proposing three priority-ordered checks: whether the team delivers business impact, whether the individual contributes to strategy and team success, and whether stakeholders view them favorably. He argues perception matters, but that aiming for universal approval can mean not pushing back enough.
Subscriber post — summary only01Key takeaways
- Judge PM performance by team business impact first, since leverage on the team's outcomes is the core job.
- Contribute to what gets built, not just how; senior PMs are expected to shape strategy and insights.
- Stakeholder perception strongly affects PM careers, even when results are strong.
- Aim for most people to like you, but accept some discomfort; pushing back on bad ideas is part of the role.
- Strong results can still hurt your review if key leaders believe the product is bad for users.
“Answer yes to these questions and you’re doing great.”Lenny Rachitsky · Lenny’s Newsletter
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.