When product and sales teams clash, focus on common goals: delivering value to customers and driving business growth. Listen to both perspectives—sales understands immediate needs, while product focuses on the long-term. Align priorities through a balanced roadmap, regular communication, and shared wins to foster collaboration.

Both Sales and Product teams need to understand that their ultimate goal is to provide the value to customers. They should have regular meeting over the product roadmap and prioritize the items in terms of ROI and customer needs. Sales team should also ensure that instead of focusing on one customer requirement, they should be focused on product features which are generic in nature.

-> You can make use of data-driven decision-making to evaluate the potential impact of each priority. For example, which initiatives will maximize ROI, strengthen customer retention or improve market positioning? -> Form a collaborative group with representatives from both teams to regularly discuss and align on priorities. This fosters mutual understanding and shared accountability. -> Adopt an iterative approach where short-term sales-driven needs can coexist with longer-term product roadmap goals. Allocate capacity for both in sprints to ensure neither team feels neglected.

Balancing the priorities of product and sales teams requires active collaboration and clear communication. First, establish shared goals that align both teams with the overall company mission, encouraging a sense of joint ownership. Regular meetings foster transparency, allowing each team to express their needs and constraints. Utilize data-driven insights to prioritize features and initiatives that support sales objectives while also enhancing product quality. Empathy is vital; understanding each team's challenges helps bridge gaps. Ultimately, fostering a culture of teamwork transforms conflicts into collaborative problem-solving, driving success for both product and sales.

I facilitate a joint discussion between product and sales teams to align on shared goals and priorities. By understanding each team’s perspectives, focusing on customer needs, and finding common ground, I create a collaborative roadmap that balances short-term sales targets with long-term product vision.