We need to stop pretending that *all* product decisions require mathematical proof.

Trust me, it's fine to use instinct & creative insight for major product decisions.

And if you like moving fast, it's often required.

The trick is when to do it, who does it & how it gets done.
The perennial debate:

Is Product Mgmt art or science?
The personal question:

Where on this green curve should I be as a PM?
Too often, PMs will label themselves.

Without good coaching during their formative years as a product manager, PM leaders also label themselves.
Labeling is the parent of dogma.

Know your strengths, leverage them, maybe even build a brand around labels, but don't label yourself in your self-talk.

Labeling will stifle your growth.
Too many people too often react with:

"This is a bad take, because, imagine what would happen if we *never* used metrics and mathematics for product decisions."

No one is saying that.

Avoid binary thinking.

We must remember this (in business & life):
Certainty is great, but also rare & shouldn't be *forced*.

Instinct is a combo of Cognitive Empathy, Market & Tech Context, Strategic Simulation.

So to improve instinct, one must get better at each of these components and/or pull in relevant experts (e.g. Tech, Market).
So why has the value of instinct in PM eroded over the 2010s?

1) Overcorrection from 2000s

2) New analytics tools

3) Many haven't seen the magical value of instinct

4) Magic is misattributed to more "logical" factors

5) Math makes us feel smarter

6) Metrics better for CYA
Let's end with the original question

What's the right point to be on the green curve?

Of course, we know the true answer.

There is no right point.

It is the job of PM leaders to guide PMs, based on current context.

Not enough PM leaders are doing this.

That needs to change.
The trouble with most tech companies these days
How all of this makes product management hard
Lastly, I do love metrics & math. So much that I wrote this thread that might be helpful in thinking through how to define product metrics

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More from @shreyas

28 Mar
A B2B Product Management Story: on discovering problems that customers actually care about

Very visual story thread👇🏾 Image
Our story starts with a new product idea

PM diligently talks to customers about whether this product will solve their problems Image
Customers say yes! Image
Read 46 tweets
26 Mar
3 types of product leaders:

1) The Operator

2) The Craftsperson

3) The Visionary

It is important for you as a startup founder or CEO, product manager, or a product leader to deeply understand these types, as you make decisions on whom to hire or whom to work for.

Thread👇🏾
First, why it is important that we understand these types:

- for startup founders: so you can hire the right type of product leader

- for PM leaders: for self-awareness & combating imposter syndrome

- for PMs: to pick right type of manager & plan your own leadership journey
~The Operator~

Excellent at: scaling teams, cross-org alignment, unblocking execution

Superpower: communication

Not excellent at: original product insight

Loves spending time with: peers & company execs

Early on: gets promoted on potential

Is often a PM talent magnet
Read 28 tweets
20 Mar
George Bernard Shaw said:

“The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place”

Possibly the most important communication lesson, ever.
This lesson also can also teach us why the art of good listening is so vital for communication

Listening is the only aspect of communication that is fully in our control

So if we want to ensure that communication actually takes place, listening is a great place for us to start
A thread with examples of good/bad listening and ideas for learning the art of listening:
Read 14 tweets
14 Mar
Why don’t we talk to customers enough?

It could be for one of many reasons.

But the root cause is worry.

Short thread on these worries
(and what to do about them)
👇🏾
We already have a product idea we love.

We worry it will get invalidated.
We already have a concrete project plan.

We worry it will get disrupted.
Read 16 tweets
12 Mar
There are 3 levels to product work

(1) The Execution level

(2) The Impact level

(3) The Optics level

When an individual & their team are fixated on different levels, often there is conflict.

E.g.
PM is fixated on (2), Team on (1)
PM on (3), Team on (2)
PM on (2), Team on (3)
An example I see often:

PM fixated on Execution

Has to make compromises
(justified, execution is hard)

Is proud of upcoming launch
("I executed against major odds")

VP/CEO reviews it
(& is fixated on Impact)

Tells PM product not good enough

Launch is a no-go
(PM frustrated)
Okay, so what to do here?

The main bug here isn't that people are paying attention to different levels.

On a healthy team, you do need to balance attention at each level: a lot on Execution, quite a lot on Impact, and adequate attention on Optics too.
Read 8 tweets
7 Mar
Compact definitions of important stuff:

Joy = Pleasure in the present moment

Happiness = Reality meets expectations

Success = Time optionality

Presence = Immersed observation

Tranquility = Lack of resistance

Wisdom = Discerning what truly matters
It took me 10 years of introspection & study to understand the essence of this stuff. I still struggle with each of these, but the struggle with Tranquility is the greatest.

A few related references 👇🏾
Read 9 tweets

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