Play the Hand You’re Dealt

Yesterday someone said to me “Play the hand you’re dealt as though it was the hand you wanted all along.”

Yesterday someone said to me “Play the hand you’re dealt as though it was the hand you wanted all along.”

In a perfect world, product decisions will be made the right way. Teams will collaborate, decisions will be made from the bottom up, and everybody will always be bought in to every decision.

In the real world, wrenches will be thrown into the works. A client appears with requirements that unlock a major win. The board calls for a change in priorities.

I’m reminded of a talk given by Jeff Veen on the subject of equanimity — which he defines as “the state of emotional stability, especially in a difficult situation.” https://lnkd.in/eTusBTzW

Over the years, I have noticed that teams sometimes become emotionally attached to decisions that executives see strictly through a rational or logical lens.

These situations call for leaders who can encourage a team to slow down, identify their feelings of attachments to the options, and thoughtfully process alternatives.

Let’s imagine a partner opportunity with a tight deadline and significant upside. But it would require setting aside a long-term roadmap priority that’s about 2/3rds done.

When the Partner team suggests delaying the roadmap work to prioritize their work, the Product team revolts! How do you manage?

I’d suggest that you start by acknowledging the team’s experience. They have work invested and are close to completing the project. It feels to the team like a long-term sacrifice for a short-term win.

The Product team is not tasked with evaluating Partner opportunities, quantifying their value, or contributing revenue to the balance sheet. Why would they give up their own goals to pursue somebody else’s?

As the Product Manager, it’s your job to answer that question. You’re the beating heart of the empathy function for this team — go develop as much empathy as you can for the Partner team and bring it home to your team.

Develop a framework that presents the two options alongside one another in terms of their relative significance to the business. In addition to revenue, each should be measured in terms of impact to customers.

Build a case like this for yourself, and decide what the cards tell you is the right thing to do.

If you can see the Partner side, go calmly and confidently make that case to the rest of your team. You’re their leader, and sometimes you have to lead through difficult decisions. This is not the time to complain about the process — right now, you *are* the process!

If you’re *not* on board with the Partner thing, go to your Management and show them your reasoning. You might not win the argument, but having the discussion is going to prepare you for what you have to do next.

If you can’t get Management on your side, you’re going to have to go and get your team on theirs.

Sometimes that’s what it takes. And when that happens, you play the hand you’re dealt like it’s the one you wanted all along.