Product PTSD (and how to diagnose it)
I recently posted a series of thoughts and advice for senior management to help them understand the early warning signs of Potentially Terminal Staleness and Decline in Product lines or Value Propositions.
I’ve collected them here in one place to help you demystify one of the often opaque parts of a business — product development.
#ProductPTSD — If your product and tech teams can’t tell you when your previous and upcoming #product #release is by:
Date — They should worry
Month — They (and maybe you) should find a new job
Quarter — Check for a pulse and call an ambulance
#ProductPTSD — If your #product team aren’t #proud and publicly #promote what they do, either they don’t believe in the product or they don’t admire their #leader. Nothing else.
#ProductPTSD — If you see more #internal tools and systems being deployed by your teams than #product #releases in the last 12 months, you’re probably doing #agile /#scrum and not #product.
#ProductPTSD — If you’re questioning the productivity or attitude of your #product #development teams, remember that they are a #reflection of those that lead them. #Toxicity trickles down from the #top, as does #mediocrity.
#ProductPTSD — If your #Senior #Management and #Product #Managers aren’t speaking with a broad range of #customers (or at least the sales and marketing teams) to gather a range of feedback, you’re not building the right product.
#ProductPTSD — If your #strategy has changed 2 or more times in the last 12 months, your #CEO is now panicking because they don’t know — a) what your #product is and b) what your #market needs.
#ProductPTSD — If you’re blaming #Coronavirus for your software failing to sell or bad customer experience, your #product can’t keep up with changing #market #dynamics.
#ProductPTSD — If you’ve caught yourself, however briefly, questioning your #judgement about your #product and #market #strategy — there is still time to gather objective criticism as you haven’t killed your #value #proposition yet.
#ProductPTSD — If you find yourself surrounded by people who don’t feel #confident enough to #challenge your #ideas, you’ve built a #dictatorship. Just like many nations throughout history, #product companies don’t last long under those regimes either.
#ProductPTSD — If you’re pivoting your #product out of desperation rather than #market #opportunity, it won’t help you turn failure into success. VCs and acquirers are becoming more adept at spotting #pointless #tech pivots.
#ProductPTSD — If you are driven by #revenge, it rarely results in #revenue. Focus first on the actual #needs of your chosen #buyer #personas and #market #value, then on your #competition — always in that order.
#ProductPTSD – If someone uses a lot of double-negatives, like “I don’t disagree”, they are unlikely to be bold #decision makers and may not be right for #product #leadership.
#ProductPTSD – If #product #decisions keep being pushed out to “next meeting” it is likely that the death of a bad idea is just being prolonged. The decision not to make a decision is often a choice to hold on to a #failed #idea.
#ProductPTSD – If you’ve truly identified and valued a #market #need, you won’t hear many arguments against your product decision.
#ProductPTSD – If you express #opinion as #fact, it won’t be long until your own mind can’t distinguish between them. However, your #customers and the #market will always know the difference.
#ProductPTSD – If you always burn your colleagues with #blame, you will eventually run out of fuel and be standing alone as your #product burns too. A product company thrives on a strong sense of belonging, not division.
#ProductPTSD – If you are #virtuous and truly #respect people, you’ll gain the #loyalty and #generosity of staff and customers. These qualities are always inherited by your #product and projected to the #market.
