In the fast-moving world of product management, crafting and executing a solid strategy is often more complex than simply delivering features. Bandan Jot Singh’s recent article, “The 3 Roles That Build Great Strategy Talent,” offers a fresh and practical framework that product managers and leaders can adopt to navigate this complexity more effectively.
Singh identifies three critical roles that shape strong strategy talent: The Realist, The Investor, and The Challenger. These aren’t formal job titles but behavioral stances that individuals can embody at different points in the strategy process to ensure it’s robust, well-supported, and adaptable.
Why These Roles Matter
Much like mapping customer journeys involves planning for “unhappy paths” or edge cases, product strategy requires anticipating risks, securing resources, and revisiting assumptions continuously. Singh highlights how many teams neglect these “unhappy paths” in strategy, leaving their plans vulnerable to market shifts, stakeholder dynamics, and operational realities.
Breaking Down the Roles
- The Realist: This role is about spotting cracks early — the misalignments between what’s planned and what’s happening on the ground. For junior PMs especially, who are close to customer feedback and delivery challenges, raising early red flags backed by data builds trust and prevents costly surprises.
- The Investor: Getting buy-in and resources isn’t just about asking; it’s about making a persuasive business case. Framing requests in terms of impact, ROI, and alignment with company goals can move leadership to commit people, budget, and support.
- The Challenger: Strategy should never be set in stone. When priorities or market realities shift, challenging assumptions and advocating for pivots keeps the strategy alive and relevant. This role requires courage and a culture that welcomes questioning without fear.
Leadership’s Role
Singh also emphasizes how product leaders must embody these roles with greater finesse. They set the tone by encouraging dissent, packaging strategy in business language for executives, and demonstrating that revisiting strategy is a sign of strength, not failure.
What’s Missing?
While Singh’s framework is clear and actionable, the article doesn’t deeply address how organizational culture or hierarchy can impede these roles, especially the Challenger. Psychological safety and navigating internal politics are crucial elements for enabling these behaviors in practice.
Why You Should Read the Original
If you’re a product manager, leader, or anyone involved in strategic planning, Singh’s article offers a valuable lens to rethink how you engage with product strategy. It reminds us that strategy isn’t a static plan but a living, breathing process that requires a balance of realism, investment, and challenge — and that each of us can step into these roles to drive better outcomes.
You can read the full article here: The 3 Roles That Build Great Strategy Talent by Bandan Jot Singh
