What do you do if your ideas and proposals are being overlooked in a product management role?

If there seems to be a communication issue, instead of directly presenting your ideas or proposals, frame them as questions. For example, instead of saying "We should add feature X," ask "What if we add feature X to improve engagement?" It makes people think and discuss your idea without feeling like you're pushing it on them.

When your ideas are evaluated independently, they may seem impressive. However, if they do not align with your company's vision and strategy, the leadership teams will not see the value in investing in them. Therefore, the initial step is to comprehend the specific line of business your company operates in. Subsequently, identify the challenges or issues that users encounter within your industry. Design products or solutions that secure a sustainable competitive edge for your company. Moreover, communicate the impact of your ideas to your stakeholders, highlighting the value they can bring to both the company and its users. This strategy can significantly increase the likelihood of your ideas receiving serious consideration.

Considering our product is an app like Instagram and as a PM I want to launch the "Time capsule" feature which would allow Users to share collection of their memorable posts from a specific time period, and it being overlooked by the team because they believe that it might not lead to the growth of users and my vision behind it is to emotionally connect the users, retain them and encourage users to celebrate memories. In return it would contribute to long-term success of the Product which would eventually also lead to the growth of users thus over here root cause behind being overlooked was that team wasn't able to understand the vision. It's just an eg but what matters for each product is that there should be clarity within the team.

When your ideas are overlooked in product management, start by identifying the root cause. Use the 5 Whys framework to drill down to the underlying issue, whether it's a communication gap, misalignment with company strategy, or lack of evidence backing your proposals. This method encourages deep thinking and problem-solving by asking 'Why?' five times to uncover the core problem. Once identified, address this root cause directly in your next proposal, ensuring your ideas are aligned, well-supported, and clearly communicated. This strategic approach can significantly increase the visibility and impact of your contributions.

Good leadership will help you with feedback on how to get there if they want this to succeed. So ask yourself if your proposal is being put down because of value or viability. Is the product not valuable enough for the user or viable to build and scale for my company. Ask for help. This is the opportunity to make great connections with your seniors and learn from the PM experience. Connect with product leaders and tackle stakeholders by stakeholders. You'll win some you'll lose some. The battle of the idea is not fought on the final day in court but to the weeks leading to it.

Reiterating what I wrote in a similar post - To drive innovation in a challenging team, I've found success in conducting feedback sessions with the team. Involving team members from the outset ensures buy-in and addresses any reservations early on. Their input not only improves ideas but also transforms them into evangelists for the initiative.

One good strategy to ensure your ideas gain traction is by gathering feedback and support. First, ask trusted colleagues for valuable suggestions so that you can make your proposals better. Opinions from a variety of sources may increase the attractiveness and practicability of your thoughts. It also pays off to build a team of proponents. Find individuals who have the same objectives as you or those who stand to your proposals. Involve them at an early stage, use their opinions and influence to push for what you believe in. Demonstrating broad support and alignment with organizational objectives can significantly increase the likelihood of your proposals being adopted.

If your ideas are being overlooked, proactively gather feedback and rally support. Implement the Feedback Loop framework: Present your idea, seek feedback, iterate based on insights, and re-present. This cycle fosters collaboration and refinement. Engage stakeholders early, inviting input to shape your proposal. This not only improves your idea but also builds a coalition of support. Highlight how your proposal aligns with strategic goals and user needs. This approach ensures your ideas are well-vetted and backed by a team, increasing their likelihood of acceptance and implementation.

Getting feedback and building support prevents good ideas from getting sidelined. Here is why: Strong Ideas with User Needs: Don't just throw ideas out there. Gathering feedback ensures your ideas address real user needs, making them more likely to be prioritized. Data-Driven Approach: Feedback exposes weaknesses and provides data to strengthen your proposal. Building Consensus and Buy-in: Proactive feedback allows you to address concerns and build a network of supporters who champion your needs-based ideas. Effective Communication: Feedback helps tailor your message and presentation to resonate with stakeholders.

In the journey of product innovation, gathering feedback and support is paramount. Involve stakeholders, teams, and management early on, seeking their insights and concerns to refine your proposals effectively. Additionally, tapping into the expertise of fellow product managers, mentors, and industry experts can provide invaluable validation and endorsement for your ideas. By incorporating feedback and garnering support, you not only validate your proposals but also foster trust and rapport within your network. Let's collaborate and elevate our product ideas together! #ProductInnovation #Feedback #Support #Collaboration

Continuing with the feature of "Time Capsule" if a PM emphasizes on the relevant data like the research articles and numbers to highlight the importance of nostalgic content and examples of other products (Maybe from a different domain) that have been affected by introducing this type of feature than chances of getting overlooked are likely to reduce since they have some kind of figures to strengthen their belief of the success of a product with the specific feature.

Most product managers encounter this situation: You have a great idea to enhance a current feature. Stakeholders may wonder why it matters. Use data to convince them: User Engagement Metrics: Show low usage or high drop-off rates to highlight current feature issues. User Research: Gather user feedback through interviews and surveys to address user pain points. Competitor Analysis: Identify gaps in competitors' offerings and show how your idea fills them. Combine usage data, user feedback, and competitor insights to: - Highlight current feature limitations. - Solve user problems with your enhancement. - Position your idea as a competitive advantage. Present a clear case with data and user feedback to increase your chances of approval.

In the realm of product management, substantiating your ideas with data and evidence is key. Conduct thorough research, experiments, and testing to showcase the problem, solution, and value proposition your proposals offer. Utilize data to compare your concepts with existing scenarios, alternatives, or competitor offerings. By presenting concrete evidence, you establish the feasibility, viability, and desirability of your ideas, persuading your audience with facts and figures. Let's drive innovation with data-backed insights! #ProductManagement #DataDriven #Innovation #EvidenceBasedDecisionMaking

ALWAYS have data backed insights to back your idea. People generally find it easy to say 'I don't feel we should do this" but they would find it difficult to say if the data tells a different story.

Before presenting a proposal, gather relevant metrics, user feedback, or case studies that demonstrate its potential impact. For example, if proposing a new feature, include user survey results that highlight demand or analytics showing how similar features have driven engagement in competitor products. This concrete evidence can help shift perspectives, making it harder for stakeholders to overlook the value of your proposals.

As a product manager, your primary responsibility is not to manage people but to oversee the product itself. While you'll collaborate with various stakeholders like engineers, designers, and attorneys, your role isn't to dictate their actions. Instead, aim to understand their expertise and effectively communicate your vision for the product. It's essential to remain open-minded and flexible, even when others have differing ideas. Embrace collaboration and be willing to work with different perspectives to achieve common objectives. By fostering alignment with the broader goals and encouraging collaboration, you can increase the visibility and impact of your ideas within the product management process.

As a product manager, it's crucial to ensure that every idea and proposal aligns seamlessly with the overarching vision and goals of our product, team, and organization. This involves more than just presenting the features; it's about illustrating how each proposal fits into the broader strategy and roadmap, and how it contributes to key performance indicators and outcomes. By clearly demonstrating this alignment, we not only showcase the relevance and urgency of our ideas but also foster understanding and buy-in from stakeholders. Align with the vision and goals, so we can drive purposeful progress towards our collective objectives, ensuring that every effort moves us closer to success. So be intentional on connecting to a broader vision

In product management, getting your ideas heard is about how much impact it creates. Focus on the big picture. This is something I learnt in my ongoing stretch assignment. Here's why aligning with the Product vision and goals is key: Strategic Alignment = Priority:?Ideas directly contributing to the Product’s vision become strategically important. They're seen as essential for achieving the bigger picture, making them more likely to be prioritized and get the resources needed. Stakeholder Support:?When your ideas are aligned with the overall goals, key decision-makers see them as well-thought-out proposals that drive the company forward. This increases their buy-in and the chance your ideas will be implemented, creating a bigger impact.

In the realm of product management, ensuring alignment with overarching visions and objectives is paramount. Showcase how your ideas seamlessly integrate into the broader product strategy and roadmap, illustrating their contribution to key performance indicators and organizational outcomes. By emphasizing alignment with the vision and goals, you highlight the relevance and urgency of your proposals while fostering a shared understanding of direction and purpose among stakeholders. Let's propel our products forward in harmony with our collective vision! #ProductManagement #Alignment #Strategy #ImpactfulInnovation

Prioritize aligning your ideas and proposals with the vision and goals of the firm. This entails ensuring your suggestions resonate with the overarching strategy and demonstrating their value in achieving objectives. By framing ideas within this context, one can enhance their relevance and increase the likelihood of recognition and adoption.

Always go with "what is in it for them" approach when presenting the idea to stakeholders. Marketing needs are different from engineering needs which in turn might be completly different from finance needs. ALWAYS have answers to the obvious questions like, how complex the implementation will be, how soon can this become budget neutral, what will be the effeciency gained.

Building a common ground is the best way forward. Look for areas of agreement or common ground among stakeholders. This could include shared goals, customer pain points, or market opportunities that align with the product vision. Communicate transparently with stakeholders about the rationale behind trade-off decisions and the implications for the product roadmap. Using Persuasion Techniques, try to influence stakeholder decisions and gain buy-in for product initiatives. This could involve storytelling to illustrate the value proposition of the product, framing discussions in terms of benefits and outcomes, or leveraging reciprocity by offering concessions in exchange for support.

In the intricate landscape of product management, negotiation and compromise often pave the path forward when ideas face oversight. Identify common ground, trade-offs, and alternative solutions, leveraging persuasion techniques like framing and storytelling to influence decisions positively. Through effective negotiation and compromise, we can craft win-win solutions, resolve conflicts, and ultimately secure consensus on our ideas and proposals. Let's navigate challenges together and forge collaborative paths towards product excellence! #ProductManagement #Negotiation #Collaboration #Innovation

Be prepared to adjust your proposals to address concerns or limitations. For instance, if your recommendation for a new product feature is deemed too costly, offer a scaled-down version that requires fewer resources but still delivers value. This flexibility shows you're committed to the project's success and willing to work within constraints, making it more likely for your ideas to gain traction and be implemented.

Most discussions and frictions arise when discussing how to to reach a goal or how to solve a certain idea. To be able to guide those discussions it is helpful to jointly agree on a shared goal that should be reached and what this idea is truly about before going into the solution space. Is the "how exactly" beneficial to the the current discussion or decision? If not, maybe you can keep a concerns or input backlog for meetings where you specifically start talking about the "how are we going to do/solve" this.

Considering the product lifecycle: The timing of your idea should also consider the product's lifecycle stage. For example, introducing a major new feature during a mature product's lifecycle may be more challenging than during the early stages when the product is still being shaped. Similarly, proposing significant architectural changes during a critical release phase may not be ideal.

In the dynamic realm of product management, securing acceptance for ideas is just the beginning. Following up and following through with stakeholders is crucial for sustaining momentum. Express gratitude for their support, feedback, and approval, and keep them informed about the progress and outcomes of your initiatives. Moreover, actively seek their ongoing feedback, suggestions, and concerns to refine and improve your proposals iteratively. By nurturing this dialogue, you foster lasting relationships, communication, and collaboration, ensuring the continued success and satisfaction of your ideas. Let's stay connected and drive impactful outcomes together! #ProductManagement #FollowUp #Collaboration #ContinuousImprovement

Seek feedback to comprehend problems and improve pitches if ideas and offers are rejected. For example, collect user data to substantiate the usefulness of a proposed new feature. Provide ideas in an understandable manner, emphasising advantages and addressing any possible drawbacks. Work together with interested parties to match suggestions to strategic objectives. In the product management role, ideas become recognised through fostering open communication and demonstrating their worth.

It's disheartening when you put your all into your ideas and they don't get the attention they deserve. But often, it's not the ideas themselves, but how you present them that matters most. Your presentation is like a spotlight—it's what makes your ideas shine. Keep it clear and structured, like a captivating story. Use visuals to make your points stick and share personal anecdotes to make them relatable. Don't forget to engage your audience, asking for their input and sparking conversations. By focusing on your presentation skills, you can ensure your ideas truly stand out and get the attention they deserve.

The six steps above are essential to support your ideas as a Product Manager. They are: 1-> Identify the root cause 2-> Gather feedback and support 3-> Provide data and evidence 4-> Align with the vision and goals 5-> Negotiate and compromise 6-> Follow up and follow through When your ideas are overlooked as a Product Manager, explaining the 'why' behind them is crucial, a well-presented case, supported by the six steps above, helps stakeholders understand your proposals and makes them feel valued and integral to the process. Even though you can find resistance, it's essential to identify the root causes and allies who could support your product ideas.