ONE THING on Stepping on People's Toes

As the product person, you are ultimately responsible for the success of your product. This usually means you inform, direct, and coordinate among functions as diverse as engineering, sales, and even finance. Sometimes, you may have to get into the weeds, even doing some of the work yourself. (I once spent 2 years doing partnerships because my product needed it.)


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Stepping on another department's toes can be tricky, however. More than once, I have been suspiciously asked why I want to know so much about support queues, or why I am writing a press release, redlining contracts, or weighing in on a build vs. buy decision.

I usually say that it matters less who does something than that it is done, done well, done at the right time, and tied to the strategy. I say it with a genuine smile and ask for help in doing it well. The right attitude can go a long way to overcoming people's fear of giving up territory. How do you step on people's toes gently?