What can Product Managers learn from Michelangelo?
- jjethani
- Jan 26, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 26, 2020
On a recent visit to the Vatican City, I listened to one of the tour guides talk about Michelangelo and his paintings inside the Sistine chapel. She mentioned an important fact that resonated with me. Michelangelo was a sculptor at heart. He was commissioned to build a tomb, which was to include forty statues, but was interrupted and asked by the pope to paint the ceiling of the Sistine chapel.. Although painting was a medium with which Michelangelo was unfamiliar, he persuaded the Pope to give him a free hand at the painting and took on this new challenge.
As I stared at the ceiling and observed his depiction of the moment God breathed life into Adam in the “Creation of Adam”, I realized that his artistic vision coupled with a higher purpose allowed him to create the best paintings even though he identified himself as a sculptor. It also made me realize that an artist is an artist whatever medium she chooses.
How does this all relate to product management? Artists and product managers have a lot in common and there is a lot that product managers can learn from Michelangelo’s life.
A High bar for quality - Michelangelo’s quote “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short but setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.”, represents how he approached his work. With his imagination, vivid colors and precise details, he gave all his creative perfection to his paintings. A product manager with a high bar for quality strives to give the user a similar magical experience. A product manager wants users to find the product experience engaging and frictionless. She aims high and strives to get there with a reasonable plan and milestones. Just like Michelangelo’s work, a product manager’s creation should leave the user inspired and wanting for more.
Vision - Michelangelo was a visionary whose talents varied from sculpture, fresco paintings to architecture. He did not have a formal training in some of these and did not follow common design practices of his age. His style was unique and creative and his imaginations left a person staring at his paintings for hours. Some leaders have a magical creativity about them that help them build an effective strategy. As a product leader grows in her career, more time is spent in driving the product vision and strategy. A visionary product leader can hone into her ideas and incorporate it into a plan that's a perfect fit. A good vision may not always mean staying within the safe boundaries of common practices but being futuristic and innovative. There is a lot to learn and seek inspiration from Michelangelo’s projects.
Negotiation Skills - Michelangelo was originally supposed to paint the Twelve Apostles in the Sistine Chapel and the central part of the ceiling was meant to be ornamented. He persuaded Pope Julius to give him some flexibility and proposed a different design that met the same purpose. An important skill that good product managers possess is to not blindly go with a proposed solution and instead focus on the customer problem. Sometimes the best solution for the customer is not the favorite one in the team. When working with one’s team, interests may not always align across different team members. A product manager may have to negotiate scope and solution with her team and stakeholders while still maintaining the team’s trust and morale. Michelangelo’s negotiation paid off and we now get to enjoy the beautiful nine panel illustrations in the Sistine Chapel.
Passion - Michelangelo learnt about human anatomy by studying cadavers and human models. His illustrations reflect this knowledge, especially his portrayal of the body of God on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. His passion not only helped him learn new skills but also enabled him to stay focused for long hours. A product manager can meet every skill criteria, but at the end of the day if one is not passionate about one’s product, the product will not reach its full potential. Passion is the thread that ties everything together and we have a lot to learn from Michelangelo’s life to help us stay true to our creations.
I came back from my trip refueled with energy, learning that the challenges we face today are the same challenges that were faced by world renowned artists. Drawings from Michelangelo’s life, his decisions and his creations help me personally stay inspired, encouraged and focused. My most inspiring Michelangelo quote:
“Your gifts lie in the place where your values, passions, and strengths meet. Discovering that place is the first step toward sculpting your masterpiece, Your Life.” ~ Michelangelo
Sources:
https://hekint.org/2018/04/11/anatomy-michelangelo-1475-1564
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