You're leading a product team with conflicting views. How do you find common ground to move forward?
When leading a product team with diverse opinions, it's essential to harness that variety to move forward. Here's how to find common ground:
- Encourage open dialogue. Create a safe space for each member to voice their concerns and suggestions.
- Identify shared goals. Remind the team of the common objectives and how each view can contribute to those.
- Facilitate compromise. Help team members prioritize their ideas and find solutions that incorporate different viewpoints.
How do you foster a collaborative environment when opinions clash? Share your strategies.
You're leading a product team with conflicting views. How do you find common ground to move forward?
When leading a product team with diverse opinions, it's essential to harness that variety to move forward. Here's how to find common ground:
- Encourage open dialogue. Create a safe space for each member to voice their concerns and suggestions.
- Identify shared goals. Remind the team of the common objectives and how each view can contribute to those.
- Facilitate compromise. Help team members prioritize their ideas and find solutions that incorporate different viewpoints.
How do you foster a collaborative environment when opinions clash? Share your strategies.
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The first thing I try to remember is that the conflict is "not personal". Secondly, would be good to see what is the conflict about ? Are we talking about "what to do" or "which user pain point to solve" or something else . The questions that I have seen work for me in the past especially when the conflicts arising from "opinions" instead of facts are 1) How will we measure the outcomes ? 2) Does this create any short term or long term tech debt.3) Are we solving for "risks" such as legal, security, compliance etc or "benefits" ? If none of these questions help then asking the different teams to write a 1-2 pager to articulate their point of view. Writing drives clarity and removes "HIPPO" (High paid person's opinion) bias in decisions.
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Finding a common ground is crucial. Start by actively listening to all perspectives to ensure everyone feels heard. Refocus the team on shared goals and the product's core objectives to align the conversation. Use data and user insights to objectively guide decisions and validate different approaches. Encourage compromise where possible, without sacrificing key outcomes. Finally, create an open dialogue for team members to discuss concerns and brainstorm collaboratively. By aligning on shared outcomes, you can keep the team moving forward together.
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How to manage conflicting views on a product team: 1. Foster open communication: Create a safe and respectful environment for open dialogue and active listening. 2. Align on shared goals: Remind the team of the common objectives and how each member's perspective can contribute. 3. Facilitate compromise: Encourage team members to find common ground and explore creative solutions. 4. Maintain focus on the big picture: Remind the team of the overall goals and the importance of teamwork. 5. Build a culture of trust and respect: Foster a positive and collaborative work environment.
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To find common ground and move forward when leading a product team with conflicting views: Clarify Objectives: Align everyone on the shared goal or product vision to refocus the team. Encourage Open Discussion: Let each member express their viewpoint to ensure all perspectives are considered. Identify Overlapping Interests: Highlight areas where ideas align or can be merged. Data-Driven Decisions: Use data and customer insights to guide objective decision-making. Compromise Where Needed: Find middle-ground solutions that balance differing views. Set Actionable Steps: Conclude with clear, agreed-upon next steps to ensure progress.
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Whenever there’s a conflict between team members, follow this approach: focus on shared goals, encourage open dialogue, and use data-driven decisions to guide alignment and progress. For example, my team faced a conflict where marketing wanted a referral program for user acquisition, and UX/UI prioritized onboarding improvements to reduce churn. I clarified our shared goal of boosting user growth and aligned both teams. By encouraging open dialogue and using data on drop-off rates and successful referrals, I saw both approaches supported our goals. I proposed a phased solution: enhance onboarding first, then roll out the referral program. This balanced both priorities, leading to improved retention and successful acquisition.
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