Product Mantra is starting a new monthly Q & A series with Product Managers worldwide. We have decided to keep the format simple – just three questions. We start the series with the well known Product Manager Shardul Mehta of Product Canvas fame.

Product Mantra: What do you think is the right personality for a Product Manager?
Shardul Mehta: Curiosity. Thirst for learning. Always wanting to know why. Great customer empathy. Technologist with customer experience chops and business sense. Always thinking about the future, but acts in the now. Get-things-done attitude. One of the best communicators in the organization. Leadership.

Product Mantra: When does Product Management get stressful? 
Shardul Mehta: Every job can be stressful when a lot is happening all at once. This is not unique to Product Management.

Product Mantra: Do you see the role of a Product Manager undergoing an evolutionary change in the next 10 years? If not why and if so how.
Shardul Mehta: Yes. It has to. PM missed the boat on Agile, Design Thinking, and Lean Startup. Product Managers spend too much time focusing on features, triaging engineering tasks, and managing releases. Instead, need to focus on the innovation process, customer development, and go-to-market strategies. That’s how it can add real, sustainable and measurable value to the business (and customers).

Thanks a lot Shardul – that was insightful – particularly on your opinion that PM missed the boat on Agile and Lean Startup. We will catchup – as a Product walks with the foot of the Product Manager and so we better catchup.

Shardul has a very useful blog here and a Twitter handle worth following here.