As product people, we often find ourselves in the center of feature requests and product feedback from across the entire business. Time and the efforts we can invest into initiatives are finite, so naturally, we have to say “no” to these asks to make progress towards our product vision and product strategy. However, we must strive to make our partners and peers feel as though their feedback is appreciated, even if we don’t necessarily take action on it.
So how do we say “no” in a way that’s meaningful for both parties? 💭
First, we rarely—if ever!—outright say “no.” It’s like the stereotypical situation where you’re new to a school or a company, people invite you to a social outing, and you say “no” a couple times. Eventually, people start to perceive you as someone who only ever responds with “no” and will no longer invite you. 😔
Above all else, aim to really understand where the other party is coming from. Why is so-and-so asking for this feature, this data, this report, and such? What makes it important to them?
Remember that in each of our minds, what we think is the right thing to do is justified and have the good intent to be helpful. 💁🏻 Whether this belief is an objective truth is another question altogether, so explore the context from which they’re operating with them.
If you already have the evidence to justify not investing the time and effort into this new idea or perhaps you’ve evaluated a similar opportunity in the past, share this information with your teammate. Perhaps they have new information that wasn’t available back when the decision was first made, and it might be time to revisit that decision.
If there really is no customer and/or business justification that supports pursuing this opportunity, let your teammate know upfront, too. Personally, I don’t like being led on about these types of decisions indefinitely, so explain your perspective on the matter with proof and your own interpretation, then ask them what they think—do they interpret the justification in the same way as you do, and if not, why? 🧠
Along the way, you’ll learn more about your customers, market, and business that will inform your future decisions and elevate the solutions that you and your team provide to your customers. 🙌
Over time, you’ll also learn more about your teammates and their thought processes. Your teammates will appreciate your open-mindedness and willingness to exchange perspectives with them and engage in productive discussion, debate, and disagreement. They will come to trust you, which is a gift that keeps on giving. 🎁
What are your strategies or tactics for saying “no” productively? 👂