Just lately, a Reddit thread began an intensive dialog in a product administration group I’m a part of. It highlighted an alarming new pattern in our area — the imbalance between discovery and execution.
In my opinion — within the zeal to innovate and strategize, the pendulum has swung too far towards the invention finish of the spectrum. Whereas exploring new concepts and hypotheses is undoubtedly very important, it has overshadowed the equally important facet of execution. These days, if a product supervisor is extra into getting issues accomplished, they could really feel like they should do one thing extra grand.
This shift fosters a tradition the place the tangible supply of options and problem-solving is sidelined, making a disconnect between product managers and the organizational targets. We should always all do not forget that our values lie in enterprise outcomes.
Despite the fact that it was fairly sarcastic, the Reddit publish is like an alarm bell for the business. It highlights the rising frustration amongst product managers who work on execution as if it’s one thing that shouldn’t occur. This situation is particularly prevalent in small startups, the place the CEO is closely concerned within the product, and the main focus is extra on techniques and fast execution reasonably than long-term technique.
Nevertheless, it’s essential to do not forget that product administration isn’t a binary area the place one has to decide on between technique and techniques. It’s a refined dance between discovery and execution. Each parts are integral to the profitable administration and improvement of a product.
Product managers ought to try to take care of a harmonious steadiness between the 2, making certain that the joy of discovery is complemented by the satisfaction of seeing a challenge by way of to completion. This balanced method fosters a tradition of accountability and progress and ensures that product managers are aligned with the broader organizational targets, thereby garnering higher appreciation from administration.
