Melissa Perri · 3 min read · Product Teams
Why are we making Product Managers the "one throat to choke"?
Read the original on melissaperri.substack.com →
The article argues that product managers are unfairly scapegoated as the 'one throat to choke' and that misaligned leadership and competing OKRs undermine product success. It advocates creating a culture of shared goals and team-level accountability, aligning all functions around a common strategic intent rather than individual targets. By citing Citigroup's example and research on motivation, it shows how teams win when they collaborate toward a customer-centered objective.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t single out product managers as the default scapegoat; shift towards shared ownership and common goals across the team.
- Replace individual OKRs with team-level OKRs that span product, engineering, design, and other functions.
- Executives should align on a single Strategic Intent so the entire organization works toward a common customer-focused goal.
- Cultivate a culture of teamwork, psychological safety, and celebrating collective wins while learning from setbacks.
- Use evidence and real-world examples (e.g., Citigroup) and research (e.g., Amabile's progress principle) to support a shift toward collaborative goals.
Excerpt
Share Hi Product People, Recently, I've heard from several product managers and leaders wanting to leave their roles because they’re being treated poorly. CEOs often hold them accountable for all financial outcomes of the business, even those beyond their control. They've become the "one throat to choke". This creates a hostile atmosphere where the rest of the team doesn't feel ownership over the product and therefore, doesn't care. Why should they, when they see Product Management being scapegoated? This issue isn’t limited to the team level. The most toxic environments I've encountered had CEOs who thought it best to give…