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 part goes to go swimmingly.
(Everyone knows it gained’t.)
I perceive why this retains taking place to you — I’ve been there, too.
- Gross sales is banging down your door about that enterprise characteristic 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 totally different)
- Buyer Assist has escalated seventeen tickets a couple of bug that impacts exactly 0.03% of your customers (however certainly one of 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 your complete product if not addressed instantly (though the system hasn’t imploded but, so who’s to say that is the time it should?)
- Your CPO simply returned from a convention with a Notion doc stuffed with “game-changing” concepts that merely should be executed 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 characteristic sounds impactful. Let me see how we will match it in.” (Translation: It’s by no means taking place.)
- “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 certainly on our radar. We’ll carve out a while quickly.” (Translation: Possibly subsequent quarter… or the one after that… undoubtedly 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 simple responsible the scenario. Don’t hate the participant hate the sport and all that.
The exhausting 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 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 duty. And your product is paying the worth.
Let’s repair that.
As we already coated, the issue isn’t that prioritization is inherently tough. The frameworks are easy sufficient. The consumer wants are clear. The information is there. It’s not strenuous to maneuver some objects round within the roadmap view of your activity administration system of selection.
The issue is you. Extra particularly, your psychological limitations to ruthless prioritization:
- You’re frightened of the mere act of claiming “no” (belief me, it’s not as dangerous as you assume)
- From the opposite aspect, you’re frightened of what may occur if you happen to don’t say “sure” (every part isn’t going to disintegrate)
- And also you assume you possibly can moderately 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 couple of 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 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 “dangerous man” (although that’s, maybe sadly, what you signed up for)
- You concern damaging relationships (since you assume that they solely discuss to you since you inform them what they wish to hear, not on your smarts)
- You are concerned in regards to the implications in your profession (as if by no means saying “no” can have no destructive ramifications)
- You’ve confused collaboration with consensus (no, limitless debate is just not 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. Typically (and even typically, in your place) it takes actual discuss to determine the very best 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 uninteresting) object.
This isn’t technique — it’s panic.
- Each competitor announcement turns into a hearth drill, no matter its precise influence on what you are promoting
- Each bug report appears like churn ready to occur, regardless of how small or unimpactful
- Each characteristic request from a prospect appears like a possible misplaced deal, quite than helpful information for enter into (ruthless) prioritization
FOMO-driven prioritization isn’t simply reactive — it’s harmful to your product’s identification. If you chase each alternative, you successfully chase none of them effectively sufficient to matter.
Actuality distortion
No, we’re not speaking about Steve Jobs’ actuality distortion area, we’re speaking about your distortion of actuality.
You’ve created this elaborate fantasy world the place every part 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 will do each” (uh, no)
- “It gained’t take that lengthy” (and if it does, we will remedy it with extra those who we completely undoubtedly have ready within the wings, and it’s not like there’s a legendary man-month or something we now have 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 bask in these comfy lies, you’re making it more durable to make the robust selections your product wants.
I do know I’m not the primary particular person to convey up this matter — 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 method.
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 out to be your default reply. It’s a defend towards the limitless parade of “pressing” requests that aren’t really pressing in any respect.
- Outline one North Star metric that really issues
- Construct out OKRs for every crew that logically feed up into that North Star, primarily based on every crew’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 price constructing
If a given characteristic won’t transfer a needle (sufficient) on any of the metrics you’ve collectively agreed are those that matter, then that characteristic doesn’t must be prioritized. (When you disagree, then the metrics themselves are mistaken, 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 assist tickets for characteristic X by 50%”. Not “improved engagement” (what does that even imply?), however “enhance of 25% in each day energetic customers who full core workflow Y”.
When everybody understands how product selections are made, the dialog shifts from limitless debate to affordable understanding (albeit probably not pure glee on the consequence). And that, in flip, results in progress.
2. Audit your present “commitments”
It’s time for some sincere accounting of all these guarantees you’ve been making.
- Listing every part you’ve mentioned sure to (presumably, the massive stuff is represented by your completely unrealistic roadmap, and the small stuff is an infinitely-long backlog — if you happen to’ve been much less organized, put together for this to take some time)
- Consider every merchandise towards the standards you determined to make use of in step 1
- Determine what is definitely essential sufficient to maintain on the listing, and what must be minimize (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 listening to what you’re doing. You’ll be able to’t be ruthless going ahead if you happen to’re dragging each previous dedication alongside for the trip.
3. Formalize a “not doing” listing
That is really my private favourite, and it could possibly simply be extra essential 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 belongings you are planning to construct will make it robotically very clear why sure selections have been made
- Share it broadly and reference it typically — it’s not a secret, it’s part of the technique
- Replace it often as your technique evolves — don’t be afraid to maneuver objects from the “we’re undoubtedly doing this” roadmap to the “we’re undoubtedly not doing this” listing — the essential level for everybody to grasp 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 effectively. Specializing in a small variety of issues at a time will make the crew extra environment friendly and productive (which btw makes it that rather more probably you really get to that enormous want listing of yours).
4. Study to say “no” — and say it
This complete course of will allow you to say “no” going ahead. However you continue to have to really 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 crew, I’ll get again to you”
- Clarify your reasoning by pointing to technique selections and information — “We’re on activity to enhance onboarding fee by 50%… fixing that hard-to-track-down edge-casey bug for that one consumer is just not going to be impactful towards that purpose, please simply attempt turning it on and off once more”
- Provide alternate options when potential (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 find out how to create the identical view of their present BI software; and many others.
The purpose isn’t to be tough, it’s to be sincere. Higher to disappoint somebody with the reality in the present day than string them together with maybes without end.
(or subsequent week, I gained’t decide)
To summarize:
- Work out the way you’re going to logically resolve what to do and what to not do — i.e., decide a prioritization framework that lets you level and say “see, for this reason we’re doing A however not B”
- Take a look at your present 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 taking place
- Default to saying “no” to future work — let your “sure”es really imply one thing
Bear 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 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 come back.)
And cease making an attempt to make everybody joyful. (It’s simply making everybody offended.)
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.
