In product management and leadership, speaking many languages is crucial. To be understood allows you to be It’s because as a product leader, you should translate languages and relay the needs of one group to another.

But we’re not talking about languages such as English or Spanish here. We are talking about the different languages used by different company stakeholders.

1. “The Boardroom”: The language of the executives and business leaders

As a product leader, you should understand the language of the people in the board room. Executives and business leaders usually have the company’s profits and expansion in mind. Due to this, they use advanced business frameworks that’ll help them reach their goals. They also make company policies that align with those goals.

However, these frameworks and policies can be misunderstood. That’s why it’s crucial that you understand and speak their language.

By doing this, you can easily translate the board room’s needs and wants into a roadmap or product development guidelines that the engineering teams and software developers understand.

2. “Geek Speak”: The language of the engineering teams and software developers

The next language that you should speak is that of the engineering teams and software developers. Without them, your company’s software or tech product won’t be made.

Engineering teams and software developers often speak in technical terms that you should understand. And since developing software isn’t easy, their needs and insights should be heard by the board as well.

When the engineering teams and software developers cannot do what the board wants due to technical issues, you should translate and speak for them, too.

3. “Voice of Customer”: The language of the customers or users

Sometimes, a company thinks that its software is too amazing that it forgets to understand its customers. Consequently, that software does not appeal to the users as much as the company expects it to.

To prevent this, you must know the language of your customers and sales prospects. You must know what their real needs are. Sometimes, the customers’ real needs are not the needs perceived by the board or the engineering teams.

So talk to your customers. Conduct a survey. Do some interviews. Then, translate their needs and wants into the languages used by the board and engineering teams.

4. “Boots on the Ground”: The language of low-level or frontline workers

Frontline workers are the first to engage with your customers. They basically represent your tech company, and are the first to see your software or tech product in action. In the tech realm, they are the salespeople.

Salespeople aim to persuade consumers to buy your product. Without them, profits cannot be made. However, they, like the others before them, have their own language.

But not all salespeople are equipped with as much knowledge as you, the executives, or the software developers. As a result, they can’t answer some inquiries about the product. If worse comes to worst, they’ll give wrong information to the customers.

Hence, it’s crucial that you translate the technical terms and company policies in a way  the salespeople understand.

5. “Marketing Mumbo Jumbo”: The language of marketers

Marketers monitor trends, make advertisements, and develop other strategies that help promote your company’s software or tech product. They play a great role in increasing sales and generating revenues.

However, they speak a language different from those of the other company stakeholders. Thus, it’s important for you to understand their needs and wants, too.

Sometimes, marketers come up with strategies that are not considered by the board or the software developers. At times, what they think is the best advertising strategy doesn’t appeal well to the customers. Thus, it’s important for you to relay what the marketers think of to the other stakeholders and vice versa.

Being a product leader or executive means that you become a mediator between different stakeholders. Speaking different languages allow you to do just that.