The Hidden Role of a Product Manager Is Being a Knowledge Broker with Matthew Baum

In this episode of Leading People in Tech, host Eric Zackrison sits down with Matthew Baum, Principal Product Manager at Procore Technologies, to explore how product managers become the connection point between teams, ideas, and information inside growing technology organizations. Matthew shares his journey from mechanical engineering and building guitar amplifiers to becoming a product leader at a global construction software company. Key Takeaways: 👉 Product Managers Are Knowledge Brokers: They connect teams, gather information, and turn insights into clear decisions. 👉 Growth Requires Stronger Networks: As companies scale, maintaining information flow and relationships becomes more challenging. 👉 Soft Skills Drive Product Success: Humility, curiosity, and communication often matter more than technical skills. 👉 Relationships Build Influence: Strong leaders create connections, understand people, and build trust. 👉 Prioritization Means Saying No: Clear priorities help product teams focus on what matters most. Episode Timestamps: [00:00:00] - Teaser: Matthew’s product management journey and Procore’s growth. [00:06:05] - Matthew’s Journey From Mechanical Engineer to Product Manager: How engineering, guitar amplifiers, and product development shaped his path into tech leadership. [00:09:52] - Product Manager Levels: How senior product roles require strategic influence and cross-functional leadership. [00:15:00] - Building Strong Organizational Relationships: How informal connections and understanding motivations help teams collaborate effectively. [00:17:37] - The Impact of Losing Knowledge Brokers: Why organizations need better knowledge sharing and ownership. [00:22:52] - The Balance Between Helpful Leaders and Organizational Bottlenecks: How being approachable builds influence but can create dependency on one person. [00:27:26] - Feedback Loops During Growth: Challenges of scaling communication, customer feedback, and priorities. [00:35:24] - Turning Research Into Organizational Improvements: How the project uncovered communication gaps and helped teams create solutions. [00:39:39] - Developing People and Careers: Procore’s approach to employee growth and internal opportunities. [00:46:08] - Hiring Product Managers for Soft Skills: Why humility, curiosity, collaboration, and asking questions matter in hiring. [00:50:41] - Coaching and Mentorship: Lessons on empathy, leadership, and helping others grow. [00:53:55] - Why Change Management Often Fails: Why organizations need internal champions instead of relying on top-down changes. [01:02:25] - Leadership Lessons From Parenting: How empathy shapes Matthew’s approach to leadership. Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. 🔗 Connect with Guest, Matthew Baum: 👉 LinkedIn:   / matthew-baum-4533947   🔗 Connect with Guest's Company: 👉 Website: https://www.procore.com 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/proc... 👉 Facebook:   / procore.tech   👉 Twitter: https://x.com/procoretech 👉 Instagram:   / procoretech   👉 YouTube:    / @procorevideo   🔗 Connect with Host, Eric Zackrison: 👉 LinkedIn:   / eric-zackrison   👉 Email: ejzackrison@gmail.com 🔗 Follow Effective Consultant: 👉 Website: https://www.effectivenessconsultants.... 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/effe... 👉 Instagram:   / effectivenessconsultants   👉 Facebook:   / effectivenessconsultants   🔗 Follow the Podcast: 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast... 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033Hnqp... 👉 YouTube:    / @ericzackrison