By Teresa Torres · producttalk.org · @ttorres on X · LinkedIn
Teresa Torres argues that curiosity is a core skill for product managers, especially when facing pressure to build one-off feature requests. Rather than arguing or pleading, PMs should investigate the underlying need, the broader market opportunity, and the reasoning behind sales' position. She frames curiosity as both a stable trait and a situational state that can be deliberately cultivated. The essay then offers practical habits such as protected time for reflection, wide reading, reframing boredom, pursuing personal interests, and asking more questions. The core message is that curious PMs uncover better solutions and make stronger product decisions.
01Key takeaways
- When a stakeholder demands a specific feature, investigate the underlying need before debating the solution.
- Ask whether a single customer's request signals a broader market opportunity worth pursuing.
- Protect 30 to 60 minutes weekly to slow down and investigate something you need to understand better.
- Read widely across disciplines, including outside your field, to bring fresh perspectives to product work.
- Get comfortable saying I don't know, and ask more questions rather than jumping to quick solutions.
02Key sections
- A tense feature-request meeting
- Torres opens with a common enterprise scenario where a sales-driven, customer-specific feature request threatens the product roadmap. She notes that arguing directly or begging sales rarely works, since sales is focused on closing the current deal.
- Redefine the problem through curiosity
- Instead of fighting the request, PMs should ask why the customer needs it, whether a different solution could serve more users, and whether this reveals a new market opportunity. Sales' own perspective is also worth probing.
- Why curiosity matters across the job
- Torres lists the many domains a PM must keep learning about, from users and competitors to engineering methods and personal development. Curiosity underpins nearly every part of the role.
- Practical ways to cultivate curiosity
- She recommends slowing down, reframing boring moments, reading widely, following personal interests, pursuing hobbies that change perspective, and getting comfortable saying I don't know. Each habit builds the curious state she describes.
- Start small and keep asking
- The essay closes by encouraging readers to pick one habit, avoid comparing themselves to others, and keep asking questions and playing to sustain curiosity over time.
03From the post
“Imagine you are sitting in a meeting. You are in the middle of a heated debate with your head of sales. A customer is adamant they need a feature in order to renew. It’s a big account. The sales team needs the renewal to hit their quarter goal. You”
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.