When I first started out as a product manager, I was given the advice that sometimes you have to be confident in giving direction or making a decision for the sake of being decisive. (I’m guessing this leans toward bro-duct management). That being decisive at all times instills confidence in the team.

But over time I’ve learned that it can be more effective to be confident about recognizing uncertainty or risk. In other words, admitting that not all the data is available in order to back a decision seems like a qualifier that builds credibility. And I’ve particularly found that when you couple that with even the briefest analysis of “how reversible is this decision?”, everyone you work with understands where you’re coming from.