What happens when you’re crushing it at something? You get complacent. And that’s a recipe for disaster.
Let me guess. Your one-year road map is 5 years long. Your backlog has morphed into a perpetual cemetery for unfulfilled promises and abandoned initiatives, where every item serves as a haunting reminder of unrealized potential. And you retain a sense of calm, as if all the pieces are falling into place, just like that.
(Everyone knows it gained’t.)
I understand why this keeps happening to you – I’ve been there, as well?
- Gross sales is knocking on doors with fervent pitches about the latest enterprise solution, insisting it will attract five new customers – a promise that remains to be fulfilled. Despite past disappointments, they’re convinced this time will be different.
- Despite minor issues affecting approximately 0.03% of our customer base, Buyer Help remains committed to providing seamless support. One particularly vocal customer may have taken to social media to express their frustration, but we’re working diligently to address their concerns.
- Engineers are quietly mobilizing an insurrection, threatening to bring down the entire product unless their concerns are immediately addressed. While the system has yet to collapse, there’s no guarantee it won’t – and time may be running out?
- The Chief Product Officer has just returned from a conference, bearing a Notion document filled with “revolutionary” ideas that can only be executed promptly, ideally prior to the next board meeting.
You’ve had your say too. It is our pleasure to provide a revised response in a style that is reminiscent of a statesmanlike diplomat. Here is the text:
We will endeavour to craft a solution that embodies the virtues of tact, diplomacy and compromise, while simultaneously respecting the sensitivities and priorities of all parties involved.
- That’s an intriguing business unit – its implications are truly significant. We’re unable to align it correctly.
- We carefully consider every customer suggestion we receive. The bug will be added to our analysis queue.
- Technical debt is undoubtedly a priority on our radar. “We’ll allocate a period expeditiously.” Hits the fan – but perhaps with a delayed impact?
- I hope we can put this behind us and move forward with our next sync without dwelling on the past.
Cease. Simply… cease.
It is imperative to monitor the situation straightforwardly. Don’t Hate the Player, Hate the Game
The onerous fact? You’re not struggling with prioritization due to its complexity. You’re failing because you’re not being ruthless enough. When you use “possibly” instead of a definitive “no,” when you allow every new idea to be added to the backlog without clear scrutiny, and when you try to satisfy all stakeholders at once – you’re neither being strategic nor diplomatic. You’re avoiding your accountability. And our product is indeed paying its weight in gold.
Let’s repair that.
As we have established, the problem does not lie in prioritization itself being inherently challenging. The are easy sufficient. The person wants are clear. The information is there. It’s not strenuous to navigate certain objects around within the roadmap view of your app.
The issue is you. Ultimately, are you willing to confront and overcome your inner resistance to ruthless prioritization?
- Don’t believe the hype: saying “no” isn’t a sign of anxiety or fear.
- As the specter of uncertainty looms from the other side, your trepidation grows concerning the potential consequences should you utter those fateful words.
- What’s the text you’d like me to improve?
Let’s pinpoint exactly how these fears are hindering your ability to perform your duties effectively.
Concern of battle
This isn’t even close to avoiding uncomfortable conversations – it’s really just a deep-seated aversion to taking on the role you’re supposed to occupy. Product managers are expected to be visionary leaders, responsible for making pivotal decisions that shape the product’s trajectory and define its success.
You’re covertly masking your true views by relying on methodologies and structures to avoid assuming concrete positions.
This isn’t genuine cooperation – it’s a thinly veiled attempt at pretending to work together.
- While acknowledging the risks, you’re still expected to prioritize your well-being.
- You worry about damaging relationships because you tend to assume that others primarily engage with you for the purpose of discussing things with you, as long as you tell them what they want to hear, rather than basing their interactions on your intellectual prowess.
- Not uttering a definitive “no” without considering the potential consequences of such an affirmative response is crucial in my line of work, lest I inadvertently open the door to unrealistic expectations or unwarranted commitments that could ultimately compromise my professional integrity.
- Collaboration has been mistaken for consensus, a misconception that cannot align with the innovative vision we strive to achieve.
FOMO
As soon as something happens, your carefully crafted priority framework is abandoned, replaced by an unrelenting pursuit of the next item on the agenda – no matter how mundane or intriguing it may be.
This isn’t a technique; it’s a desperate attempt to compensate for lack of preparation.
- Each announcement, regardless of its actual impact, morphs into a nagging drill that grates on your company.
- Regardless of their apparent insignificance or potential impact, every bug report seems primed for chaos to unfold.
- Every function request from a prospect seems like a potential loose end, rather than valuable input for ruthless prioritization.
Actuality distortion
We’re not speaking about a mere distortion of actuality; we’re exploring the deliberate manipulation of reality itself.
In your meticulously crafted fantasy realm, every concept converges seamlessly, defying the constraints of reality where compromises are a necessity.
It’s hardly optimism to cling to a fantasy; more likely, it’s a desperate attempt at hope.
- I’ll commit to doing that right away.
- It seems unlikely that we are capable of doing each other.
- “It won’t take that long,” we assure. If it does, we can always adjust our plan by leveraging additional resources we’ve got readily available to fall back on, giving us no reason to worry about unforeseen complications.
While I’m no pioneer in advocating for ruthless prioritization, I acknowledge that many others have voiced similar sentiments. People often discuss it in podcast episodes, and you may also come across relevant insights in blog articles. As you ponder the meta-concept of self-awareness, subtly bob your head in agreement during conferences, and perhaps even display a tongue-in-cheek motivational poster featuring a fearless feline that embodies unrelenting determination.
However, when push comes to shove, you’re left with a roadmap that’s more like a toddler’s wish list than a strategic plan for a product.
There’s a greater approach.
1. Set up clear worth metrics
These aren’t even close to creating effective dashboards. Here’s a revised version:
By establishing a clear goal framework, you empower yourself to say “no” as the default response, fostering greater focus and efficiency in your endeavors. A shield against the endless procession of…
- What are the most critical steps to prevent catastrophic failures in our aging infrastructure?
- Crafting an overarching framework that harmonizes with the guiding North Star, rooted in each subgroup’s specific domain of influence.
Develop a hierarchical structure comprising units that naturally align with and contribute to the guiding vision. This organizational architecture should be informed by each unit’s sphere of impact, ensuring a seamless integration of efforts towards the overarching objective.
- The metrics that truly drive pricing strategies are the ones that help us see where the line is drawn between what’s worth paying and what’s not. These aren’t just arbitrary figures, but rather the tangible measures that quantify the value proposition.
If a given function fails to meet sufficient standards across all agreed-upon key performance indicators, it can be deprioritized without further consideration. If you disagree, the metrics themselves must be incorrect, making it necessary to revisit and revise them.
The metrics must be actual. Not “person satisfaction”, but rather a “50% discount on assistance tickets for function X”.
“We’ve seen a notable 25% increase in daily live customer interactions, with all core workflow processes being fully utilized.”
2. Audit your current “commitments”
Now’s the moment to take a genuinely accurate tally of every promise you’ve ever made.
- Here are the things I’ve stated sure to: checklist all the things you’ve stated sure to (presumably, the massive stuff is represented by your completely unrealistic expectations, and the small stuff is an afterthought — when you’ve been much less organized, put together for this to take some time)
- All merchandise are thoroughly evaluated against established benchmarks.
- Ascertaining what’s crucial to preserve and what should recede requires meticulous consideration.
3. Formalize a “not doing” record
That is actually my personal favorite, and it may well become more crucial than your roadmap. This commitment to discipline, inscribed for all to witness.
- Documenting exactly what you’re building – placing this record after the detailed list of assets you plan to use will automatically clarify why certain decisions were made.
- Spread this widely and cite it accordingly – it’s no longer a hidden truth, but rather an integral component of the method.
- As techniques evolve, frequently update your approach – don’t hesitate to adapt objects from the “proceed” plan to the “abandon” track. The crucial understanding here is that clarity is key for everyone involved, and you’re effectively communicating this point?
4. Learning to Say No: How to Set Healthy Boundaries
This entire course will teach you how to confidently say “no” from now on. Despite your efforts to really drive the point home to individuals,
- “No, this doesn’t align with our current strategic priorities.” “I’ll add this to our backlog, discuss it with the team, and follow up with you.”
-
“We’re tasked with increasing our onboarding conversion rate by 50%. To achieve this goal, we should focus on addressing the root causes of delays rather than expending time and resources on isolated, low-impact issues like a single edge-case bug that may not have a significant impact on overall performance.”
- When feasible, offer alternative solutions that don’t overpromise deliverables – for instance, instead of committing to a comprehensive API integration, propose a CSV export option; rather than building a custom dashboard, explain how users can replicate the same view using their existing Business Intelligence tool, and so on.
I won’t choose for the next week.
To summarize:
- Establish a structured approach by developing a clear prioritization framework that enables data-driven decision making – thereby justifying why task A takes precedence over task B.
- Have a thorough review of your existing guarantees; eliminate unnecessary commitments – you’ll be left with a manageable list of tasks and a significant list of avoided obligations.
- Notifications of Non-Occurrences:
* Discontinued Projects: The following projects have been terminated due to lack of feasibility or resources. Effective immediately, all work on these projects is halted.
1. Project XYZ
2. Project ABC* Cancelled Events: The following events have been cancelled and will no longer take place.
1. Annual Conference 2023
2. Quarterly Meeting* Suspended Programs: The following programs have been put on hold until further notice.
1. Employee Development Program
2. Community Outreach Initiative - Be explicit: say no to future projects unless the terms align with your goals.
What’s the most lucrative way to create value from this concept? And that’s what allows us to confidently respond with a simple “yes” to those who are genuinely interested in receiving a helpful and accurate answer.
So cease nodding. Are you trying to hurt yourself?
No longer compile concerns on your “someday” list. Rarely will “sometime” return.
Stop striving to create an atmosphere of ease for everyone. (It’s simply making everybody indignant.)
At the end of the day, honesty is always better served by a straightforward and truthful “no” rather than a deceitful nodding yes.
Your current approach to customer engagement is admirable, but ultimately misguided. It’s time to reframe your strategy and prioritize a more nuanced understanding of consumer needs.
