I think the point of presenting the stakeholders with a "map" of what you're doing right now and why you're doing it, then discussing their needs within this framework, is magical. I used to call this simply "data-driven decision-making". Perhaps it's not a great name. Although it's not about quantitative data, sometimes just seeing the current situation visually helps a lot, even if the data is not numbers. Perhaps you've found a better way to describe this. Great.
Great post! Indeed, empathetic leaders often experience burnout. They can sense the dynamics, struggles, and aspirations of their team members, and they’re driven to empower them to achieve their goals. However, this process can be taxing, and burnout is a real concern for these leaders. Setting boundaries, asking questions, and bringing strategy before building is definitely a game-changer. Building a context-aware team is another winning strategy I have experienced.
Great post Mike. Love this approach. In particulate really liked the bit - “Instead of immediately evaluating whether we could build something, I started asking whether we should build it.”
I feel like I spend much more time on the “should we” question now and at first I felt bad saying no to stakeholders and was worried I’d lose my reputation for being the person who gets things done, but it’s been such a positive change from trying to do everything. The team are happier, less stressed, more focussed. And often it means we uncover problems earlier on instead of building something only to realise it was a waste of time. Meanwhile stakeholders love the extra visibility and clarity around if we should or why we shouldn’t do something and it helped me become a better product leader who isn’t just about getting things done but really focussed on making sure we’re building the right things. Thanks for sharing your perspective, hope this helps more product people take this approach too.
I'm so happy this one resonated with you, Katrina! Happier teams seem to just get things done better and more efficiently. That's a win for everyone - users, the team, the stakeholders, the company.
I couldn't agree with you more! This happened to me not too long ago. I think part of it is because management isn't doing their job well, so people seek comfort and help from anyone who's willing to listen to them.
At first, I felt special because, you know? “People trust me and feel heard,” but I was carrying too heavy a burden. So I started filtering out people's deep and personal things. It wasn't healthy for me.
Today, management is still a mess, haha but I'm pushing back on this and analyzing whether there really is a problem and whether it's worth fighting for.
The reality is that many team members who aren't “emotionally” mature enough express anything they consider inappropriate. It's difficult and unfair to absorb all of that. People should calm down first and really think.
Great approach.
I think the point of presenting the stakeholders with a "map" of what you're doing right now and why you're doing it, then discussing their needs within this framework, is magical. I used to call this simply "data-driven decision-making". Perhaps it's not a great name. Although it's not about quantitative data, sometimes just seeing the current situation visually helps a lot, even if the data is not numbers. Perhaps you've found a better way to describe this. Great.
Great post! Indeed, empathetic leaders often experience burnout. They can sense the dynamics, struggles, and aspirations of their team members, and they’re driven to empower them to achieve their goals. However, this process can be taxing, and burnout is a real concern for these leaders. Setting boundaries, asking questions, and bringing strategy before building is definitely a game-changer. Building a context-aware team is another winning strategy I have experienced.
Great points, Soumya!
Excellent approach to share the risks across your team!
Great post Mike. Love this approach. In particulate really liked the bit - “Instead of immediately evaluating whether we could build something, I started asking whether we should build it.”
I feel like I spend much more time on the “should we” question now and at first I felt bad saying no to stakeholders and was worried I’d lose my reputation for being the person who gets things done, but it’s been such a positive change from trying to do everything. The team are happier, less stressed, more focussed. And often it means we uncover problems earlier on instead of building something only to realise it was a waste of time. Meanwhile stakeholders love the extra visibility and clarity around if we should or why we shouldn’t do something and it helped me become a better product leader who isn’t just about getting things done but really focussed on making sure we’re building the right things. Thanks for sharing your perspective, hope this helps more product people take this approach too.
I'm so happy this one resonated with you, Katrina! Happier teams seem to just get things done better and more efficiently. That's a win for everyone - users, the team, the stakeholders, the company.
Yep exactly! Love a win-win-win.
I couldn't agree with you more! This happened to me not too long ago. I think part of it is because management isn't doing their job well, so people seek comfort and help from anyone who's willing to listen to them.
At first, I felt special because, you know? “People trust me and feel heard,” but I was carrying too heavy a burden. So I started filtering out people's deep and personal things. It wasn't healthy for me.
Today, management is still a mess, haha but I'm pushing back on this and analyzing whether there really is a problem and whether it's worth fighting for.
The reality is that many team members who aren't “emotionally” mature enough express anything they consider inappropriate. It's difficult and unfair to absorb all of that. People should calm down first and really think.
Great reflection as always, Mike!
Thank you, Elena! Appreciate you!