How can you address disagreements with your manager or executive team?

Keyword here is LISTEN. Create an environment where the other person feels free to share openly first. There is a lot more we can understand by Listening. Active listening fosters mutual respect, and builds trust, making it the most critical skill in effective communication.

One way to avoid making assumptions is first to try and understand your manager or team's perspective. This shows you respect and value them and help to sharpen your empathy skills. By doing this you will be able to understand their points of view. This will lead to a meaningful discussion.

First off, I make it a priority to get into their shoes. Understanding where they're coming from—the pressures they face, the metrics they're judged by, and the wider organizational goals they're aiming to align with—is crucial. This isn't about conceding my stance but about building a bridge from their perspective to mine. Recognizing their viewpoint allows me to tailor my arguments in a way that resonates with their priorities, making my case not just compelling but relevant to what matters to them.

Engaging in productive discussions with management requires empathy and understanding. In my opinion. before debating, grasp their perspectives, goals, and constraints. By prioritizing empathy, we foster collaborative environments where assumptions are challenged and feedback is valued. #Leadership #Empathy #Communication

Addressing disagreements with your manager or executive team requires tact and diplomacy. First, approach the situation with an open mind and willingness to listen to their perspective. Clearly articulate your own viewpoint, backed by data or evidence where possible. Seek common ground and focus on shared goals. If the disagreement persists, consider proposing alternative solutions or compromises that accommodate both sides. Be respectful and professional throughout the discussion, maintaining open lines of communication. Remember, healthy disagreement can lead to better outcomes when approached constructively.

Effective product managers prioritize active listening and empathy. Recognize that different roles have varying priorities, executives may face pressure on deadlines and budgets, that may be different from the pressures around product development. By mapping out risks, opportunities, and incorporating stakeholder feedback, you can build a comprehensive plan.

When it's time to present my case, clarity and respect are my guiding principles. I rely on solid data, user feedback, and concrete examples to back up my points, steering clear of emotions or personal affronts. It's about framing my argument in a way that highlights its alignment with our shared objectives, not just my personal agenda. Acknowledging their concerns openly and offering transparent, data-backed responses is key. This isn't just about getting my point across; it's about fostering a dialogue that's rooted in mutual respect and a shared commitment to our project's success.

When communicating during a disagreement, you want to avoid personal perspectives. So, let the data do the talking! This keeps the conversation from feeling adversarial and roots decisions in facts and desired outcomes.

Even when it feels like we're at loggerheads, I look for the underlying alignment in our visions. There's usually common ground to be found in the broader objectives, even if our paths to getting there differ. Finding that shared baseline serves as a platform for negotiation and compromise. It's about identifying the non-negotiables for both sides and then working creatively to find solutions that address our core concerns. This step often requires flexibility and the willingness to prioritize the project's success over individual preferences.

You might be right and be backed by definitive data. Still, your manager might be considering different factors that steer them in another direction (eg, a need to increase short-term revenue, pressure from the board/investors, etc.). Find a happy medium, ensure it still helps your quarterly goals, and carry on.

Nothing can decide better than real-world data! Try to understand the hypothesis your manager has, write it down. See if it is really worth it. If it is not, try and analyse past data to see if you can back up your hunch. If you do not find past data, try setting up an experiment. At the end of the day, it may turn out you were wrong, and it is some new learning you had doing this exercise! This may lead to a new horizon of learning and feature ideas!

When the debate is mired in theoretical what-ifs, proposing an experiment can cut through the deadlock. By setting up a small-scale test or prototype, we can let real-world data guide our decision-making. This approach has the dual benefit of moving the project forward while also building a culture of evidence-based decision-making. It shifts the conversation from competing opinions to a shared quest for the best outcome for our users and our project.

Suppose a resolution has yet to present itself using the above points. In that case, proposing a proof-of-concept (POC) can help open up the conversation and re-root decisions in data and validation while keeping them away from personal preferences or opinions. Work to define objectives and key results that are small and measurable. Then agree on when the POC data should be used to circle back to dissect later.

Despite our best efforts, there are times when an agreement remains elusive. When faced with such an impasse, I weigh the option of escalation against the potential fallout. Escalation is a tool to be used sparingly and with a clear understanding of the dynamics at play. More often, I find value in choosing to accept the decision, especially if the disagreement doesn't jeopardize the project's core objectives. Acceptance doesn't mean defeat; it means choosing to prioritize the team's cohesion and the project's momentum over individual disagreements.

First try to understand your leadership perspectives, context and reasoning behind certain decisions. If you have proposals that differ, then prepare very well. Your suggestions need to align well with the company and product goals. Then try to elaborate on the context behind your proposal with data, competitive research or customer insights. Your main goal is to help your leadership find the most optimal solution and your reasoning or perspective on the problem or solution space can uncover some gaps or can bring a new better perspective that is still now evident to the group making the decision. Even if your suggestions are not accepted, your point of view can be appreciated later and you had a chance to show care and competence.

Building trust is essential to establishing clear communication and achieving successful agreements. Focus on understanding the executives' priorities, including the key business needs, gaps, and opportunities they're targeting. Position yourself as a product leader who facilitates the company's goals by leveraging the product as a strategic tool.