Many timeless proverbs provide wisdom that can be applied to building great products. These simple yet profound sayings capture principles, mindsets, and insights that are just as relevant today as when they were first uttered.
In the fast-paced world of product management, it’s easy to get caught up in the weeds of features, releases, and metrics. Taking a step back and reflecting on broader perspectives can reorient us towards what really matters. The ancient art of using proverbs is a great way to find this wisdom.
As a complimentary post to the 44 Product Management Quotes to Inspire and Motivate, in this post, I’ll present a collection of classic proverbs that contain leadership lessons for building great products. From embracing iteration to focusing on the customer, these pieces of folk wisdom contain timeless advice. By taking these aphorisms to heart, product managers can align their mindset, strategy, and execution with enduring principles of excellence.
Each saying reveals an enduring truth about human behavior, strategy, and the process of creation. Though initially stated long ago, their underlying messages remain pertinent in our modern context. By learning from these proverbial teachings, product managers can lead with more foresight, efficiency, and purpose.
Proverbial Product Leadership: Legendary Sayings for Building Great Products
“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.”
Being first to market is great, but sometimes it’s better to learn from pioneers and improve on their efforts.
“Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.”
If you create a truly innovative, useful product, customers will seek it out.
“Slow and steady wins the race.”
Staying power, persistence and discipline leads to long-term success.
“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
Don’t make plans based on success before it happens. Wait for concrete results.
“If you give someone a fish, they eat for a day. If you teach them to fish, they eat for a lifetime.”
Great products empower and enable users.
“The customer is always right.”
Listen to users and design products around their needs, not your assumptions.
“A fool and his money are soon parted.”
Don’t forget the business side – build profitable and sustainable products.
“Little strokes fell great oaks.”
Big outcomes come from many small actions executed consistently over time.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Determination and perseverance can help overcome any obstacle.
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”
Team collaboration is key.
“A rolling stone gathers no moss.”
Keep moving forward – complacency kills products.
“Patience is a virtue.”
Resist pressure to launch imperfect products or cram in every feature.
“The best things in life are free.”
Great user experiences don’t come from endless features but streamlined designs.
“Fail fast, fail often.”
View failures as learning opportunities – key to iterating and improving.
“Measure twice, cut once.”
Conduct in-depth market research before building products to avoid mistakes.
“A stitch in time saves nine.”
Address small product bugs quickly before they become major issues.
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
Maintain a diverse product portfolio instead of relying on one product only.
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease.”
Listen to customers and focus on fixing their biggest complaints.
“Perfect is the enemy of good.”
Don’t obsess over launching a flawless product, get an MVP out faster.
“Two heads are better than one.”
Work with cross-functional teams like engineering, design, marketing.
“Strike while the iron is hot.”
Seize market opportunities swiftly before competitors can capitalize.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Be patient, building great products takes time and iteration.
– Don’t reinvent the wheel.”
Use existing solutions/technology when appropriate instead of building from scratch.
“The best things come in small packages.”
An MVP can provide great value without lots of extra features.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Don’t change aspects of a product that already work well.
“A penny saved is a penny earned.”
Focus on being lean and keeping costs down.
“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.
”Success takes hard work more than just good ideas.
“It takes two to tango.”
Strong partnership between product and engineering is key.
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
The product should focus on the big picture, not just obsess on individual features.
“When the cat’s away, the mice will play.”
Without product leadership, teams lose focus and progress stalls.
“Make hay while the sun shines.”
Capitalize on competitive advantages and growth opportunities quickly.
“Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
Don’t overcommit to unreasonable product delivery timelines.
“Too many cooks spoil the broth.”
Avoid having too many decision makers to keep product vision clear.
“The best defense is a good offense.“
Stay ahead of competitors by continually improving products proactively.
“If you can’t beat them, join them.“
If you can’t build a better solution, consider partnerships or acquisitions.
“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”
Strengthen any weak parts of the product dev process to improve outcomes.
“There’s no time like the present.”
Prioritize working on the product over non-essential meetings or tasks.
Guiding Principles, Not Prescriptive Instructions
While not exhaustive, these proverbs for product management offer a sampling of timeless insights that can guide effective product leadership. Each proverb reveals a unique facet of building great products, from understanding customers to managing tradeoffs. Together, they comprise a set of broad principles and perspectives to align strategy and execution.
Product management is a complex craft, but these simple sayings warn against common pitfalls and offer sound advice. They provide a high-level framework, not detailed instructions. By internalizing these teachings, product managers can develop sharper judgment and a more thoughtful approach. While specifics will differ across companies and projects, the underlying values and mindsets remain relevant.