Tactic: Ask your stakeholders to separate their blocking feedback from suggestions to align faster
Receiving feedback is a critical part of our work as a Product Manager, especially when aligning with stakeholders. However, when working with a large number of stakeholders, the feedback can quickly become overwhelming. I found myself trying to address all feedback before moving forward. This approach was ineffective, slowing me down and creating a sense of endless grind.
It became clear that not all feedback is created equal: while some feedback is vital to achieving alignment, others are mere suggestions. I realized that I needed to identify the blocking feedback that needs to be addressed before moving forward. By doing so, I could move faster and achieve alignment quickly. At first I used my understanding of my partners’ priorities to filter the blocking feedback. While I did see some success, I often missed critical feedback or focused on the wrong aspects.
I had a breakthrough when I asked a stakeholder directly to separate blocking feedback from suggestions. It helped me learn that less than 20% of the feedback was critical for achieving alignment, and that I was frequently framing our conversations on aspects they didn’t feel strongly about. By addressing the blocking feedback first, I was able to quickly get on the same page and move the project forward. Now, I ask people to mark blocking feedback at the beginning.
This simple tactic has saved me a lot of back and forth. It’s important to note that suggestions are still valuable. They can be future improvements or ideas. However, when it comes to driving alignment, they are not as important as blocking feedback.
Hi, I am Rohan
I am excited about scaling teams and products spanning small businesses, marketplaces, and consumers.
I am a Product Lead at New Product Experimentation (Meta’s startup incubator) building a new standalone product.
Previously, I’ve built products for +200M small businesses at WhatsApp, Instagram, Yelp, and Yahoo. As Founder, I started an 8 person company for non-profits to raise capital efficiently.
Always excited to chat about building delightful products.
