Published on

Stepping Back: Why Doing Less Can Lead to More

Authors
  • Name
    Callum van den Enden
    Twitter

Overview

This article explores the counterintuitive idea that product managers can achieve more by doing less, focusing on empowering teams, fostering trust, and creating space for creativity and autonomy.

The Conductor's Dilemma: Balancing Control and Creativity

Picture this: You're a conductor standing before a world-class orchestra. Each musician is a master of their instrument, having spent years honing their craft. Now, imagine if you tried to micromanage every note, every bow stroke, every breath. The result? A cacophonous mess, not the symphony you envisioned.

This scenario isn't far off from what many product managers face daily. We're often tempted to have a hand in every aspect of product development, from design tweaks to marketing copy. But here's the kicker - sometimes, the best thing we can do is step back and let our talented team members shine.

The Power of Stepping Back

Trust: The Secret Ingredient

Think about the last time someone micromanaged you. How did it feel? Probably not great, right? Now flip that on its head. When was the last time someone trusted you with a task and gave you the freedom to tackle it your way? I bet you felt energised, creative, and eager to exceed expectations.

That's the power of trust in action. By stepping back and trusting our team members, we're not just making our lives easier - we're unlocking their potential.

Time: Your Most Precious Resource

Let's face it, as product managers, we're constantly juggling a million tasks. Our to-do lists are longer than a CVS receipt. By delegating and empowering our teams, we're not just fostering trust - we're buying ourselves time. And in the fast-paced world of product development, time is gold.

Putting It into Practice

The Design Dilemma

Picture this scenario: You're working on a new feature, and it's time for the design phase. You've got some ideas buzzing around in your head, and you're tempted to sketch them out for the design team.

Option A: You spend hours creating detailed wireframes and hand them over to the designers with specific instructions.

Option B: You have a brief kickoff meeting where you outline the problem the feature needs to solve and any key constraints. Then, you let the designers loose to work their magic.

Which option do you think will yield better results?

If you chose Option B, you're on the right track. By giving the design team space to ideate and create, you're tapping into their expertise and potentially uncovering solutions you never would have thought of.

The Development Conundrum

Now, let's look at the development phase. You're eager to see progress and might be tempted to check in daily (or hourly) for updates.

Option A: You schedule daily stand-ups, require frequent progress reports, and constantly ping developers for updates.

Option B: You set clear expectations upfront, establish key milestones, and trust the team to come to you if they hit any roadblocks.

Again, Option B is the way to go. By giving your development team space to work without constant interruptions, you're allowing them to enter a state of flow and potentially ship features faster.

Even small increases in autonomy can lead to significant boosts in team performance. It's not a linear relationship - the benefits can compound as team members feel more empowered and invested in their work.

The Balancing Act

Now, I'm not suggesting we should all pack up our desks and leave our teams to fend for themselves. The key is finding the right balance. We need to be available for guidance, to remove roadblocks, and to ensure everyone's rowing in the same direction.

Think of it like being a GPS system. You're there to provide the overall direction and alert the team to potential obstacles, but you're not trying to control every turn of the steering wheel.

Creating clear one-pagers, simple wireframes, and having kick-off calls to map out projects at a high level can significantly enhance understanding and alignment across the team. This approach not only saves time but also empowers team members by setting clear expectations and providing them with the autonomy to bring their unique insights into the project.

Even at the design phase, we seek to get thinks to 80-90% clarity then trust the dev to implement how they see fit.

It sparks passion and interest, and leads to new ideas that others couldn't see. Give the whole team the chance to use their own expertise to solve the problem.

Wrapping Up: The Art of Doing Less

So, here's the takeaway: As product managers, our job isn't to be the star of the show. We're the conductors, the facilitators, the enablers of greatness. By stepping back and empowering our teams, we're not doing less - we're multiplying our impact.

This is something I'm still learning. Introducing the leverage/neutral/overhead framework can be a game-changer in this context. It helps you categorize tasks based on their impact and your personal contribution level: leverage tasks where your input maximally boosts output, neutral tasks that need to be done but don't multiply results, and overhead tasks that drain resources without proportional gain.

By identifying which category a task falls into, you can decide whether to handle it personally, delegate it, or automate it—perhaps even with AI. This strategic approach ensures you focus on what truly matters and empowers others effectively.

Next time you feel the urge to dive into the nitty-gritty of a task that's not strictly in your wheelhouse, take a deep breath and ask yourself: "Is this the best use of my time? Or could I empower someone else to tackle this?"

Remember, sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is... nothing at all. Give your team the space to surprise you. You might just be amazed at what they can achieve when given the chance.