Why being good is killing your product
Let me guess. Your 1 12 months roadmap is 5 years lengthy. Your backlog is a graveyard of “perhaps”s that everybody is aware of won’t ever occur. And you retain nodding alongside as if every thing goes to go swimmingly.
(Everyone knows it received’t.)
I perceive why this retains occurring to you — I’ve been there, too.
- Gross sales is banging down your door about that enterprise function they swear will land 5 new shoppers (don’t fear about the truth that ink by no means met paper final time, this time is completely different)
- Buyer Help has escalated seventeen tickets a few bug that impacts exactly 0.03% of your customers (however one among them is veeeery vocal and retains tweeting angrily on the CEO)
- Engineers are not-so-quietly staging a rise up over tech debt that they swear will sink your entire product if not addressed instantly (though the system hasn’t imploded but, so who’s to say that is the time it would?)
- Your CPO simply returned from a convention with a Notion doc stuffed with “game-changing” concepts that merely should be carried out instantly (AKA earlier than the subsequent board assembly)
However you’ve been right here earlier than, too. So that you reply with the grace of a seasoned politician.
- “Sure, that enterprise function sounds impactful. Let me see how we are able to match it in.” (Translation: It’s by no means occurring.)
- “We take all buyer suggestions significantly. I’ll add that bug to our analysis queue.” (Translation: Added to the black-hole-that-is-the-backlog.)
- “Technical debt is unquestionably on our radar. We’ll carve out a while quickly.” (Translation: Possibly subsequent quarter… or the one after that… positively earlier than $#@! hits the fan… though perhaps after…)
- “These are nice concepts! I’ll work them into our roadmap planning.” (Translation: I hope you neglect about them by our subsequent sync.)
Cease. Simply… cease.
It’s straightforward accountable the scenario. Don’t hate the participant hate the sport and all that.
The laborious reality? You’re not failing at prioritization as a result of it’s tough. You’re failing since you’re not being ruthless sufficient. Each time you say “perhaps” as a substitute of “no”, each time you add one other merchandise to the backlog as a substitute of clearly rejecting it, each time you attempt to please everybody as a substitute of doing what’s proper for the product — you’re not being strategic or diplomatic. You’re avoiding your duty. And your product is paying the worth.
Let’s repair that.
As we already lined, the issue isn’t that prioritization is inherently tough. The frameworks are easy sufficient. The consumer wants are clear. The info is there. It’s not strenuous to maneuver some gadgets round within the roadmap view of your job administration system of selection.
The issue is you. Extra particularly, your psychological limitations to ruthless prioritization:
- You’re afraid of the mere act of claiming “no” (belief me, it’s not as dangerous as you assume)
- From the opposite aspect, you’re afraid of what would possibly occur in case you don’t say “sure” (every thing isn’t going to crumble)
- And also you assume you possibly can fairly say “sure” (spoiler: you possibly can’t)
Let’s break down precisely how these fears are sabotaging your skill to do your job.
Worry of battle
This isn’t nearly avoiding uncomfortable conversations — it’s a few deep-seated aversion to the very position you’re imagined to play. Product managers are supposed to be the decision-makers, the individuals who make the powerful calls that form the product’s future.
However as a substitute, you’re hiding behind processes and frameworks to keep away from taking actual stances.
This isn’t wholesome collaboration — it’s battle avoidance masquerading as teamwork.
- You don’t wish to be the “dangerous man” (regardless that that’s, maybe sadly, what you signed up for)
- You worry damaging relationships (since you assume that they solely discuss to you since you inform them what they wish to hear, not to your smarts)
- You are concerned in regards to the implications in your profession (as if by no means saying “no” can have no adverse ramifications)
- You’ve confused collaboration with consensus (no, infinite debate just isn’t the identical as progress towards the imaginative and prescient)
Avoiding this battle would possibly (would possibly) result in some short-term concord — however you’re selecting that over long-term success. Generally (and even typically, in your place) it takes actual discuss to determine the most effective path ahead.
FOMO
Each time one thing occurs (I’m permitting “one thing” to be purposefully imprecise there), your prioritization framework goes out the window in favor of chasing the subsequent shiny (and even boring) object.
This isn’t technique — it’s panic.
- Each competitor announcement turns into a hearth drill, no matter its precise impression on your online business
- Each bug report appears like churn ready to occur, irrespective of how small or unimpactful
- Each function request from a prospect appears like a possible misplaced deal, relatively than helpful information for enter into (ruthless) prioritization
FOMO-driven prioritization isn’t simply reactive — it’s damaging to your product’s identification. If you chase each alternative, you successfully chase none of them properly sufficient to matter.
Actuality distortion
No, we’re not speaking about Steve Jobs’ actuality distortion discipline, we’re speaking about your distortion of actuality.
You’ve created this elaborate fantasy world the place every thing is feasible and trade-offs don’t exist.
This isn’t optimism — it’s delusion.
- “We’ll get to it will definitely” (ha, I’m positive)
- “Possibly we are able to do each” (uh, no)
- “It received’t take that lengthy” (and if it does, we are able to clear up it with extra people who we completely positively have ready within the wings, and it’s not like there’s a legendary man-month or something we’ve got to fret about)
This delusion goes far past merely making planning tough — it’s additionally destroying your credibility as a product chief. Each time you take pleasure in these comfy lies, you’re making it tougher to make the powerful selections your product wants.
I do know I’m not the primary individual to deliver up this subject — everyone talks about being ruthless with prioritization. You hear about it on podcasts, learn weblog posts (like this one! how meta), nod alongside in conferences, perhaps even print out a memey motivational poster displaying a cat who’s being tremendous ruthless (no matter meaning for a cat).
However when push involves shove, you (we) nonetheless find yourself with a roadmap that’s extra akin to a toddler’s vacation time want listing than a strategic plan for a product.
There’s a greater means.
1. Set up clear worth metrics
This isn’t nearly creating fairly dashboards. It’s about actually having an goal framework that permits “no” to turn into your default reply. It’s a defend in opposition to the infinite parade of “pressing” requests that aren’t truly pressing in any respect.
- Outline one North Star metric that really issues
- Construct out OKRs for every group that logically feed up into that North Star, primarily based on every group’s space of possession
- Select a prioritization framework that helps you (and everybody else) visualize, whether or not quantitatively or qualitatively, the thresholds for what is actually price constructing
If a given function is not going to transfer a needle (sufficient) on any of the metrics you’ve collectively agreed are those that matter, then that function doesn’t must be prioritized. (When you disagree, then the metrics themselves are unsuitable, so begin this course of over.)
And by the way in which, the metrics must be actual value-driven metrics. Not “consumer satisfaction” (so imprecise), however “discount in help tickets for function X by 50%”. Not “improved engagement” (what does that even imply?), however “enhance of 25% in every day energetic customers who full core workflow Y”.
When everybody understands how product selections are made, the dialog shifts from infinite debate to affordable understanding (albeit probably not pure glee on the consequence). And that, in flip, results in progress.
2. Audit your current “commitments”
It’s time for some sincere accounting of all these guarantees you’ve been making.
- Listing every thing you’ve mentioned sure to (presumably, the large stuff is represented by your completely unrealistic roadmap, and the small stuff is an infinitely-long backlog — in case you’ve been much less organized, put together for this to take some time)
- Consider every merchandise in opposition to the standards you determined to make use of in step 1
- Establish what is definitely vital sufficient to maintain on the listing, and what must be reduce (trace: put together the axe, it’s gonna get ugly)
This audit establishes a brand new baseline — each for you, and anybody within the firm who’s being attentive to what you’re doing. You may’t be ruthless going ahead in case you’re dragging each previous dedication alongside for the journey.
3. Formalize a “not doing” listing
That is truly my private favourite, and it may possibly simply be extra vital than your roadmap. It’s proof of your dedication to focus, written down the place everybody can see it.
- Doc precisely what you’re not constructing — exhibiting this listing after the large listing of stuff you are planning to construct will make it robotically very clear why sure selections had been made
- Share it extensively and reference it typically — it’s not a secret, it’s part of the technique
- Replace it frequently as your technique evolves — don’t be afraid to maneuver gadgets from the “we’re positively doing this” roadmap to the “we’re positively not doing this” listing — the vital level for everybody to know right here is that the roadmap was by no means assured within the first place (and also you’re making that clear, proper?)
Each merchandise on this “not doing” listing buys you time to do one thing else exceptionally properly. Specializing in a small variety of issues at a time will make the group extra environment friendly and productive (which btw makes it that rather more probably you truly get to that enormous want listing of yours).
4. Be taught to say “no” — and say it
This whole course of will allow you to say “no” going ahead. However you continue to have to truly say it out loud… to individuals.
- Be direct and unambiguous — “No, this doesn’t match into the roadmap proper now” vs. “Let me add that to our backlog and discuss to the group, I’ll get again to you”
- Clarify your reasoning by pointing to technique selections and information — “We’re on job to enhance onboarding price by 50%… fixing that hard-to-track-down edge-casey bug for that one consumer just isn’t going to be impactful towards that objective, please simply strive turning it on and off once more”
- Provide options when potential (however don’t promise different/smaller stuff you additionally can’t ship simply to melt the blow) — e.g., as a substitute of promising a full API integration, provide a CSV export; as a substitute of constructing a customized dashboard, share easy methods to create the identical view of their current BI instrument; and so forth.
The objective isn’t to be tough, it’s to be sincere. Higher to disappoint somebody with the reality at the moment than string them together with maybes without end.
(or subsequent week, I received’t decide)
To summarize:
- Determine the way you’re going to logically resolve what to do and what to not do — i.e., decide a prioritization framework that allows you to level and say “see, for this reason we’re doing A however not B”
- Have a look at your current listing of guarantees and cull the herd — you’ll have a tiny to-do pile and a ginormous not-to-do pile
- Formalize the not-to-do listing — don’t simply delete these things; announce to the world that they’re not occurring
- Default to saying “no” to future work — let your “sure”es truly imply one thing
Keep in mind: You’re not paid to be favored. Your job is to construct a profitable product. And that requires you to say “no” to good concepts so you possibly can say “sure” to nice ones.
So cease nodding. (You’re going to harm your neck.)
And cease including issues to your “perhaps sometime” listing. (“Sometime” is rarely going to return.)
And cease attempting to make everybody joyful. (It’s simply making everybody indignant.)
On the finish of the day, a transparent “no” is best than a mendacity “sure”.
Now go disappoint somebody — for the larger good of your product.