What are PMs paid for?
PMs often bear the brunt of questions like: “They don’t code. They don’t design. All they do is write docs and attend meetings. Is that what they are paid for?”
Though that question is a stretch—and many PMs do design, prototype, and even code—it’s important to address it not by listing tasks, but by reframing what the role is really about.
Because you don’t pay a PM just for their skillset. You pay for their commitment.
You can have a team full of talented individuals, but that won’t matter without someone who takes ownership of the process, timelines, and quality on behalf of the entire team. That person is the PM.
They act as the anchor that holds the product effort together. They define priorities when choices get tricky. They call out flaws and inconsistencies, even at the risk of being disliked, or worse, owning up to their own mistakes.
They hold people accountable. They don’t just run quality checks; they drive quality through constant involvement and course-correction. They engage in difficult conversations, negotiate on behalf of others, and protect the product’s integrity at any cost.
Their background might be in engineering, marketing, sales, or something else. But what they truly bring to the table is a holistic lens that ties every part of product development and GTM into one coherent story.
You don’t pay them just for what they can do. You pay them for what they stand for: ownership, accountability, customer advocacy, and unwavering commitment.