- Another PM Day
- Posts
- Work with guiding principles
Work with Guiding Principles
Hello Product Leaders!
As a reminder, the Product-Led Summit is happening next week on March 20-21, 2024 in NYC.
I still have 2 free tickets for my audience, reply ASAP if you’re interested!
It will be about networking, learning and a lot of fun! Here’s the agenda.
Alright, now, let’s talk about guiding principles!
Let me tell you a short story. My wife and I grew up differently.
My parents prioritized laissez-faire, while my wife's parents emphasized hard-work.
My wife liked the suburbs, but I preferred city life.
She wanted private schools and I wanted public schools.
Before our kids came along, we also talked deeply about life and parenting principles.
Agreeing on principles before making big decisions, is critical for product leaders.
It's like setting the rules of the game before you start playing.
Let’s dive in.
Today at a glance
Catalyze your career with a Personal Board of Directors.
Sidebar is the leadership program where small peer groups grow and evolve together. Nothing will get you further in your career than learning from your peers.
I’m actually part of it and it’s a game-changer.
Accelerate your professional (and personal) growth NOW.
The paradox of ‘guiding principles’
Principles usually focus on long-term goals and values, but sometimes we have to make decisions that prioritize immediate results or survival due to short-term pressures and constraints (like not getting fired!).
Finding a balance between short-term practicality and long-term sustainability can be a tricky task but it will come with reps and time.
You got this.
1- Uncertainty as your copilot
The main reasons for this uncertainty usually come from changes in leadership or big changes in the company's plans for the year ahead.
Even though we're already in the first quarter, we still don't know for sure where we're going. In situations like this, it's helpful to break our discussions and planning into smaller parts.
We can start with what we already know in Q1 and then adjust our plans as we learn more. But it's important to think about whether we have enough resources to follow through on these plans and how to communicate our plans clearly.
I suggest talking to the business leaders about the principles we should follow.For example, we can agree on the most important areas or goals, or set general guidelines for future projects. If we're considering a new area that could have a big impact on the company, how should we approach it?
By dealing with these challenges early on, we can handle uncertainties better and build confidence in the team.
✅ This shows responsible leadership and a commitment to creating stability, even when things are uncertain.
2- Yes on product guiding principles
As a product leader, having clear principles for the big picture is crucial. Without them, we get lost in details too fast.
Bringing people back to a higher level is your job!
Imagine trying to understand an image by looking only at its pixels. Instead, let's talk about what we're trying to create - let's talk about the cat.
First, agree on what the cat should look like. Then, discuss its characteristics: its appearance, personality, and more.
When defining a product or feature, start by outlining the important aspects.For example, decide who it's for (like mid-market vs Enterprises), its key features (such as solving visibility problems first before performance), and how it should work (like requiring more functional vs great design).
Having clear principles helps with thinking, communication, decision-making, and alignment.
While it's important to see how things will look, focusing on wireframes too soon leads to unproductive discussions and directions.
✅ It's better to start with the big picture and stay there for longer than you think.
3- But not so fast…
Sometimes, sticking to principles can cause problems.
This usually happens when there's a clash between different principles or values, and each side tries to prove they're right.
It's worth trying to find common ground on principles because it brings many benefits. But if discussions become endless, it's important to recognize when it's time to stop.If you find yourself in a never-ending debate over principles:
You could be having a theoretical argument. If convincing the other side doesn't affect anything specific, it might be best to move on.
Maybe there's a decision you need to make now. If you can't agree, focus on the decision at hand.
In rare cases where it's crucial to agree on a principle but you can't convince the other side, it's okay to set it aside for a while. Since there's no immediate decision to make, you have time to revisit it later.
Share this article with others who can benefit from thinking in principles. It might help you too.😉
Key Takeaways
Remember:
Learn to lose a short-term battle to achieve your long-term quest
Break discussions into smaller parts and set guiding principles to deal with uncertainty. Make that baby step.
Having clear guiding principles helps in alignment and increases your leadership presence.
Stay on the bigger picture longer than you may think. It helps with future design thinking and correct directions.
In Case You Missed Them
👉️ Extreme brainstorming to trigger fresh ideas (Link)
👉️ Challenge your higher-ups (Link)
👉️ The Power of Summary (Link)
Get 1% Better Every Day. Execution Matters Most.
ce