Product Manager’s role is often difficult to define. Are we decision makers? Are we responsible for the outcome? Both are true. But those does not necessarily make a great PM. What great PM does is to sense an opportunity from a vague signal, like sharks finds their pray from a smell of a drip of blood. PM needs to sense whether it’s a meaty opportunity, it’s at an available distance, and it’s a viable target. Once you smelled the target, you will relentlessly chase them down.
Some PMs might be born with the instinct, some might be trained to do so. What I know is that it’s a skill that’s hard to achieve in a short term. When looking for a strong PM, you need to look for this killer instinct.