Finding one’s place as a Product Leader in a large company is a real challenge, which doesn’t seem to be getting easier over time. It almost seems that corporate Product Leaders have hit their glass ceiling. For Romain Monclus, Director and expert in Product Organization at Thiga, hitting this ceiling is not inevitable. In this op-ed, he calls on Product Leaders to regain their influence, providing three key strategies to break free from frustration and finally steer their companies in the right direction.
The story of Product Management is one of unfulfilled promises. Ten years ago, the discipline became the go-to model for creating value and accelerating digital transformation in businesses. Influential figures like Marty Cagan, Martin Eriksson, and Roman Pichler inspired a generation of Product Managers (myself included), promoting a vision of the role in which PMs would be at the heart of strategic decisions. It was an exciting time for PMs seeking to have an impact, shape the company’s vision, and guide it to success.
A decade has passed since then; the Product Managers of yesterday have become the Product Leaders of today and reality often looks quite different from the dream we were sold. The latest LPC barometer reveals high levels of frustration among PMs and their leaders. Half of them want a more impactful role, whether in their current company or elsewhere. And when asked what they dislike most about their job, 41% cite internal politics and friction with other teams. All these factors turn seemingly straightforward projects into obstacle courses.
So, what should we do? Roll over and accept the situation? Absolutely not! It’s time to take back control and increase our impact.
A poisoned chalice
On paper, the job of a CPO or VP Product is clear: build and defend an inspiring Product vision, ensure that the roadmap and priorities generate tangible impact, and construct a high-performing team capable of delivering value. Pretty appealing, right? In practice, however, it often turns into a nightmare. Every major decision requires tough negotiations with other departments. The CPO has to juggle Tech, Marketing, Business, Finance etc. each with its own priorities and constraints.
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The result of this is often that the initial vision becomes a patchwork of incoherent compromises. Growing constraints dull ambitions and weaken impact., causing the organization to start malfunctioning and creating widespread frustration. So, how can we stop being passive victims of the system and regain control? I believe that there are three key strategies to demonstrate the leadership that the Product Leader role demands.
Clarify your product portfolio (a.k.a. your "territory")
One of the biggest challenges for Product Leaders in large companies is the ambiguity surrounding their scope. In a startup, it’s simple: the product is a well-defined digital service. However, in a large corporation, the concept of a product is much more abstract.
Let’s take a bank as an example. For a PM, the product is the mobile app. For bankers, it's the financial offerings (loans, savings, etc.). And for a CTO, it’s the technological systems that keep everything running.
In a large company, Product Leadership isn’t achieved overnight
This ambiguity makes discussions difficult and slows down decision-making. While one person talks about the product, another refers to the offering, and yet another thinks in terms of platforms. Once you add subsidiaries and business units to the mix, you’ve got even more of a mess. So how do you navigate this?
💡 Map out your scope – Use tools like Value Stream Mapping, CX Mapping, or the Core Domain Chart, depending on your challenges.
💡 Align your peers – Get the CMO, CTO, and other divisions to agree on a common Product vision. Asking, “What does good Product performance mean?” is a great starting point.
💡 Establish governance – Set up a framework to keep stakeholders aligned on your common priorities over time.
Until you clearly define your territory and find common ground with stakeholders, you’ll continue to hit a ceiling.
Accept that you’re not the center of everything—play as a team
Let’s go back to the findings from the LPC barometer. To me, there is a simple explanation: the biggest barrier to Product impact is internal politics and inter-team tensions. Yet many Product Leaders adopt the wrong mindset, seeing other departments as obstacles rather than allies. In a large company, Product leadership isn’t achieved overnight. No matter how many times the opposite is asserted, power remains in the hands of Sales, Marketing, Tech, and Finance and no magic framework will make them disappear.
Like Copernicus advancing the heliocentric theory, the Product Leader in a large company must accept that not everything revolves around them.
Faced with this hard-to-swallow reality, it’s essential to take a step back:
💡 Accept reality – The company doesn’t revolve around the digital product. In fact, it was creating value long before you arrived.
💡 Identify where the digital product fits – Find synergies with other departments within the value chain.
💡 Elevate the collective – Your impact shouldn’t be limited to your PM and Design team. Tackle the company’s most strategic topics and build your Product vision around them.
A great Product Leader builds influence and strong relationships. They work closely with the CTO, CMO, and Finance. By creating common ground, they break down silos. For example, the “4-in-the-box” model adopted by Walmart, Carrefour, Accor, and Decathlon fosters direct collaboration between Product, Tech, Marketing, and Data.
Stop Being a Product Evangelist—Become a Strategic Communicator
One common mistake among Product Leaders in large companies is focusing too much on Product culture at the expense of value creation. Seeing themselves solely as evangelists, they fall into the trap of arrogance.
Yes, evangelization is important. But executives don’t just want to hear about OKRs or Discovery. They want business results—concrete, tangible impact. They expect you to tell a compelling story that aligns with the company’s broader vision.
What are your options?
💡 Focus on business value – Clearly demonstrate the benefits your product brings to the company.
💡 Master business metrics – Understand cost structures, revenue, and ROI. Speaking the language of money will earn you credibility with leadership.
💡 Adopt a broad perspective – Don’t get stuck in your digital silo. Consider the entire value chain and integrate all functions—Business, Product, Design, Data, and Development—into your narrative.
Finally, communicate your results clearly and consistently. Quarterly reviews, for example, are great opportunities to do this. Recently, I was struck by a situation I observed at a certain company. The Product team realized that their solution would have more impact if used internally rather than by end customers. This was a dramatic repositioning, but in the end, the value created was exponentially greater.
Ultimately, it’s time to shift our mindset. Product Management in large enterprises may seem stuck in a deadlock, but this isn’t inevitable. You just need to play smart: be a strategic player, not a lone wolf, and take the lead in creating a collective movement. Celebrate small wins and use them to unite the organisation. Most importantly, don’t turn Product into a religion, but rather use it as a growth lever. Remember that a great Product Leader doesn’t just build a digital product, they also help build a successful company. The glass ceiling exists, sure… But it's up to you to break it!
Looking to take your Product Leadership career to the next level? Enroll in the Product Leadership Programme, our executive training designed in partnership with INSEAD.
