Why being good is killing your product
Let me guess. Your 1 yr 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 purchasers (don’t fear about the truth that ink by no means met paper final time, this time is totally 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 rebel over tech debt that they swear will sink the complete product if not addressed instantly (though the system hasn’t imploded but, so who’s to say that is the time it can?)
- Your CPO simply returned from a convention with a Notion doc filled with “game-changing” concepts that merely should be finished 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 severely. 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: Perhaps 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 in charge 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 troublesome. You’re failing since you’re not being ruthless sufficient. Each time you say “perhaps” as an alternative of “no”, each time you add one other merchandise to the backlog as an alternative of clearly rejecting it, each time you attempt to please everybody as an alternative of doing what’s proper for the product — you’re not being strategic or diplomatic. You’re avoiding your accountability. And your product is paying the value.
Let’s repair that.
As we already coated, the issue isn’t that prioritization is inherently troublesome. The frameworks are easy sufficient. The consumer wants are clear. The info is there. It’s not strenuous to maneuver some objects round within the roadmap view of your process administration system of alternative.
The issue is you. Extra particularly, your psychological boundaries to ruthless prioritization:
- You’re petrified of the mere act of claiming “no” (belief me, it’s not as unhealthy as you assume)
- From the opposite facet, you’re petrified of what may occur in case you don’t say “sure” (every thing isn’t going to disintegrate)
- And also you assume you’ll be able to moderately say “sure” (spoiler: you’ll be able to’t)
Let’s break down precisely how these fears are sabotaging your capability to do your job.
Worry of battle
This isn’t nearly avoiding uncomfortable conversations — it’s a few deep-seated aversion to the very function you’re presupposed to play. Product managers are supposed to be the decision-makers, the individuals who make the robust calls that form the product’s future.
However as an alternative, 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 “unhealthy man” (though that’s, maybe sadly, what you signed up for)
- You concern damaging relationships (since you assume that they solely speak to you since you inform them what they wish to hear, not in your smarts)
- You are worried in regards to the implications in your profession (as if by no means saying “no” can have no unfavourable ramifications)
- You’ve confused collaboration with consensus (no, limitless debate just isn’t the identical as progress towards the imaginative and prescient)
Avoiding this battle may (may) 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 speak to determine the very best path ahead.
FOMO
Each time one thing occurs (I’m permitting “one thing” to be purposefully obscure there), your prioritization framework goes out the window in favor of chasing the subsequent shiny (and even uninteresting) object.
This isn’t technique — it’s panic.
- Each competitor announcement turns into a fireplace drill, no matter its precise influence on your online business
- Each bug report looks like churn ready to occur, irrespective of how small or unimpactful
- Each function request from a prospect looks like a possible misplaced deal, reasonably than helpful knowledge for enter into (ruthless) prioritization
FOMO-driven prioritization isn’t simply reactive — it’s harmful to your product’s identification. Whenever 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 subject, 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)
- “Perhaps we are able to do each” (uh, no)
- “It received’t take that lengthy” (and if it does, we are able to resolve it with extra those that we completely positively have ready within the wings, and it’s not like there’s a legendary man-month or something now we have to fret about)
This delusion goes far past merely making planning troublesome — 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 robust choices your product wants.
I do know I’m not the primary particular person to carry up this subject — all people 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 which means 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 manner.
1. Set up clear worth metrics
This isn’t nearly creating fairly dashboards. It’s about really having an goal framework that permits “no” to turn into your default reply. It’s a defend in opposition to the limitless parade of “pressing” requests that aren’t really pressing in any respect.
- Outline one North Star metric that truly issues
- Construct out OKRs for every group that logically feed up into that North Star, based mostly 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 really value 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 should be prioritized. (In the event you disagree, then the metrics themselves are incorrect, so begin this course of over.)
And by the way in which, the metrics should be actual value-driven metrics. Not “consumer satisfaction” (so obscure), however “discount in help tickets for function X by 50%”. Not “improved engagement” (what does that even imply?), however “enhance of 25% in day by day lively customers who full core workflow Y”.
When everybody understands how product choices are made, the dialog shifts from limitless debate to cheap understanding (albeit doubtless not pure glee on the consequence). And that, in flip, results in progress.
2. Audit your current “commitments”
It’s time for some trustworthy accounting of all these guarantees you’ve been making.
- Record 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
- Determine 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 possibly can’t be ruthless going ahead in case you’re dragging each previous dedication alongside for the experience.
3. Formalize a “not doing” listing
That is really my private favourite, and it will probably 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 — displaying this listing after the enormous listing of belongings you are planning to construct will make it mechanically very clear why sure choices have been made
- Share it extensively and reference it typically — it’s not a secret, it’s part of the technique
- Replace it usually as your technique evolves — don’t be afraid to maneuver objects 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 doubtless you really get to that big want listing of yours).
4. Study to say “no” — and say it
This whole course of will allow you to say “no” going ahead. However you continue to have to really say it out loud… to folks.
- Be direct and unambiguous — “No, this doesn’t match into the roadmap proper now” vs. “Let me add that to our backlog and speak to the group, I’ll get again to you”
- Clarify your reasoning by pointing to technique choices and knowledge — “We’re on process to enhance onboarding fee by 50%… fixing that hard-to-track-down edge-casey bug for that one consumer just isn’t going to be impactful towards that purpose, please simply attempt turning it on and off once more”
- Supply alternate options when doable (however don’t promise different/smaller belongings you additionally can’t ship simply to melt the blow) — e.g., as an alternative of promising a full API integration, supply a CSV export; as an alternative of constructing a customized dashboard, share create the identical view of their current BI instrument; and so forth.
The purpose isn’t to be troublesome, it’s to be trustworthy. Higher to disappoint somebody with the reality at this time than string them together with maybes endlessly.
(or subsequent week, I received’t decide)
To summarize:
- Work out the way you’re going to logically determine what to do and what to not do — i.e., choose a prioritization framework that lets you level and say “see, because of this 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 really imply one thing
Keep in mind: You’re not paid to be preferred. Your job is to construct a profitable product. And that requires you to say “no” to good concepts so you’ll be able to 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” isn’t going to come back.)
And cease attempting to make everybody comfortable. (It’s simply making everybody indignant.)
On the finish of the day, a transparent “no” is healthier than a mendacity “sure”.
Now go disappoint somebody — for the higher good of your product.
