How to be a program manager 17 years ago
I never had much use for the PMs at Microsoft. On the other hand, every PM I knew there had a... let's say "large" sense of their own worth. Guess it was in the job description. Since leaving I have encountered PM-like roles doing everything from just documenting whatever crazy requests the users made, to ignoring the users and pushing for whatever they personally wanted. Occaisionally I have encountered someone who really added to the process, but it takes just the right person, and sadly that's been the exception rather than the rule.