PM Spectrum (Innovator to Executor)

PMs range from crazy innovators to pure executors—the sweet spot is strategic executors in the middle

Casey Winters
Why most product managers are unprepared for the demands of a real startup

PM Spectrum (Innovator to Executor)

"On perhaps the left side of the spectrum you have the crazy innovator types, they have so many different ideas... probably most of those ideas are going to be bad, but one out of ten's going to be just a game changer and they're generally not super great at turning that idea into action. And then on the extreme right side of the spectrum will be your typical executional focused PM... What we all want as CPOs in terms of people we bring into our team is we want people in the middle." - Casey Winters

What It Is

A framework for understanding the spectrum of product manager types and how to develop, recruit, and manage them. Product teams are "gangs of misfits" from different backgrounds, but they cluster on a spectrum from pure innovators (idea generators) to pure executors (implementation machines).

The ideal is in the middle: strategic PMs who can both generate good ideas and turn them into customer value. But these are rare, and most people lean one direction.

How It Works

The Spectrum

INNOVATOR ←───────────────────────────────→ EXECUTOR

Left Extreme              Middle              Right Extreme
"Crazy Innovator"    "Strategic PM"      "Execution PM"

- Many ideas           - Good ideas          - Few ideas
- 1/10 are great      - Can evaluate        - Needs direction
- Can't execute        ideas                 - Great execution
- Industry aware      - Can execute         - Not industry aware
- Latest APIs/trends  - Balanced            - Needs support

Characteristics by Type

Crazy Innovator (Left)

  • Follows every change in the industry
  • Knows latest Apple APIs and Snapchat features
  • Generates ideas constantly
  • Most ideas are bad, but occasional game-changers
  • Struggles to turn ideas into shipped value

Strategic PM (Middle)

  • Generates good ideas selectively
  • Understands industry context
  • Can turn strategy into action
  • Delivers real value to customers
  • The rarest and most valuable type

Execution PM (Right)

  • Excellent at shipping
  • Takes strong strategy and delivers value
  • Doesn't naturally generate ideas
  • Less aware of industry trends
  • Needs strategic support from above

Hiring Implications

For CPOs/Product Leaders:

  • Prefer execution-oriented PMs when in doubt
  • There are always too many ideas; execution is the bottleneck
  • Easier to provide strategic direction than execution capability

For VCs:

  • Prefer innovators
  • Don't need every company to work
  • One game-changing idea can make a fund

How to Apply It

For CPO/Product Leaders

  1. Audit your current team - Where do your PMs fall on the spectrum?

  2. Bias toward execution - "If I'm airing on the side of which side of the spectrum I want people from, I generally will take people who are good at execution over people who are good at generating ideas."

  3. Invest in developing strategy skills - The great filter for career growth is strategic capability. Most execution PMs plateau without it.

  4. Create learning programs - Mentorship, external speakers, programs like Reforge can help executors become more strategic.

For PMs Developing Their Career

  1. Early career: Prove execution - "Early on in your career as a PM, you're going to get the most value by showing that you can ship real things to customers and that the customers like them."

  2. For advancement: Develop strategy - "If you want to start managing groups of PMs, if you want to start running a business unit... I'm going to expect you to be able to write that strategy doc without me."

  3. The great filter - Strategy is what separates senior PM from director+. Without it, you'll plateau.

  4. Seek exposure - Learn from strategic people, take on strategy projects, read widely about your industry.

Warning Signs

Too far left (Innovator):

  • Lots of exciting ideas, nothing ships
  • Team confused by constantly changing direction
  • Features launched but don't deliver value

Too far right (Executor):

  • Efficient delivery of wrong things
  • No pushback on strategy
  • Plateauing career despite shipping

When to Use It

  • Hiring PMs: Understanding what type you need vs. what you're getting
  • Career development: Identifying your growth areas
  • Team composition: Ensuring you have balance
  • Coaching: Helping PMs identify their development needs
  • Performance evaluation: Understanding different value contributions

Source

  • Guest: Casey Winters
  • Episode: "Why most product managers are unprepared for the demands of a real startup"
  • Key Discussion: (41:06) - Casey explains the PM spectrum and its implications
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube

Related Frameworks

Back to Career