I was a PM for Microsoft around 2003, and remember taking a few great classes from Scott Berkun. In retrospect I wonder if the existence of the role itself is

I was a PM for Microsoft around 2003, and remember taking a few great classes from Scott Berkun. In retrospect I wonder if the existence of the role itself is cause for so much of the slowness within Microsoft. The PM role became not so much a role as a cleanup/do-everything kind of position. Unfortunately so many people end up just being gatekeepers or secretaries that actually get in the way of people getting work done, instead of visionary thinkers and doers that help things get done. I think Scott is on to something when he says that people now feel like 3 hour meetings, disheveled teams and failing products seem NORMAL. Someone needs to clean up the PM role, and I think that will clean up the lack of innovation at Microsoft.