Balancing Technical and Business Priorities in PM vs PO Roles

From my perspective, POs lean heavily into balancing business priorities and customer experiences, which often includes advocating for user needs—a strength many women develop through attentive listening and empathy. PMs, meanwhile, juggle technical constraints and risk management, requiring a more process-driven mindset. My real-world experience shows that women in PO roles often feel more empowered to influence product vision, while women PMs may face challenges asserting authority in technically dominated environments.