How To Build Product Teams That Stay and Thrive

Three dimensions of Product Management growth

A couple of posts ago, I wrote about scaling product teams while maintaining quality and the "soul" of the product. If you've done that, you've got an awesome team. It would be a shame to lose them after all that work to scale them. You'll have to "start over" by hiring new product managers and onboarding them into the culture, practices, and norms you've developed. And we all know hiring great product managers is hard. Keeping them — and helping them grow into their full potential — is even harder.

As a product leader, your ability to retain and develop talent may be the single most important factor in your organization’s long-term success.

Because products don’t build themselves, people do.

The Real Reason Product Talent Leaves

When product managers leave, it’s rarely just about money.

In my own career as a product leader, and through my coaching work with product leaders, I hear the same frustrations from product managers over and over again:

• “I don’t feel like I’m growing.”

• “I spend all my time on delivery, not strategy.”

• “Leadership doesn’t value product thinking.”

• “I’m not sure how my work connects to outcomes.”

These aren’t just complaints; they’re symptoms of a culture that undervalues development and clarity. And when those needs aren’t met, your best people eventually find someone else who will meet them.

Retention Starts with Growth

Retention isn’t about perks or retention bonuses. It’s about progress.

People stay when they feel they’re learning, contributing, and advancing, not just in title, but in skill, confidence, and impact.

That’s why great product leaders build environments where product managers can grow across three key dimensions:

1. Growth in Craft

Product managers want to get better at their core skills: discovery, prioritization, storytelling, experimentation, and analytics.

Ways to support it:

• Create opportunities for product managers to lead user research or A/B tests.

• Run “show and tell” sessions where product managers share learnings and decisions.

• Pair junior product managers with senior mentors for guided development.

When craft mastery improves, so does product quality.

2. Growth in Scope

Top product managers crave new challenges, broader responsibilities, larger problems, and more complex systems.

Ways to support it:

• Expand their ownership (e.g., from one feature to an entire customer journey).

• Invite them into strategy discussions, not just execution updates.

• Give them cross-functional initiatives that test their leadership skills.

Growth in scope builds confidence and readies product managers for future leadership roles.

3. Growth in Impact

Perhaps most importantly, product managers need to feel that their work matters — to customers, to the business, and to the team.

Ways to support it:

• Connect team outcomes directly to business strategy.

• Celebrate wins that demonstrate customer or business value, not just delivery.

• Give product managers visibility to executives so they see how their work drives outcomes.

When people feel their impact is real, their motivation soars.

The Product Leader’s Role: From Manager to Coach

Great product leaders don’t just manage roadmaps, they coach people.

• They help their PMs see around corners, navigate politics, and learn from failure.

• They give feedback with empathy and precision.

• And they build a culture where curiosity and experimentation are valued as much as delivery speed.

Ask yourself: “Am I spending as much time growing my people as I am managing my roadmap?”

Because if not, you might be shipping features at the expense of your future leadership bench.

Creating a System for Development

Retention and growth shouldn’t depend on luck or personality. The best product organizations systematize it.

Consider building:

• Career frameworks that define clear expectations for each product management level.

• Development plans tied to both skill growth and business goals.

• Regular coaching conversations focused on reflection, not just status updates.

• Learning budgets or time allowances for training, courses, or conferences.

When development is visible and intentional, people trust that the organization is invested in them.

The Long Game of Leadership

Here’s the truth: developing product talent takes time, patience, and consistency.

But the payoff is enormous.

• You get stronger products.

• You get higher engagement and retention.

• You get a reputation as a leader people want to work for.

And perhaps most importantly — you build a legacy of leadership that lasts beyond any single roadmap or release.