By Andrew Park | 2024-09-02
As a Chief Product Officer, Head of Product, VP of Product, CTO, Engineering VP, or Engineering Director, your focus is on aligning product and engineering teams with the broader business strategy. One critical area where alignment often falls short is in the role of Product Owners. Too often, Product Owners are reduced to “order takers,” executing tasks without contributing to the strategic direction of the product. This issue is particularly prevalent in organizations where Product Owners and Product Managers operate separately, leading to a disconnect that diminishes the overall effectiveness of product development efforts.
As emphasized by Cliff Berg in Agile 2, the “order taker” mentality is a significant flaw that reduces key roles to mere executors rather than strategic partners. Berg argues that this approach stifles creativity and innovation, limiting the potential impact of those who should be contributing to the product vision.
Understanding the “Order Taker” Mentality
In many organizations, Product Owners are expected to manage backlogs and ensure timely delivery, but they are often not integrated into broader strategic discussions. This limited scope restricts their ability to contribute meaningfully to the product vision and strategy, relegating them to a more tactical role. As a result, Product Owners often find themselves executing decisions made by Product Managers without a clear path for career progression or influence over the product’s direction. This problem is especially pronounced in frameworks like SAFe, where the separation between Product Ownership and Product Management further reduces the effectiveness of Product Owners.
Breaking Free from the “Order Taker” Mentality
To maximize the impact of Product Owners, it’s essential to redefine their role and ensure they are empowered to contribute to strategic decision-making. This involves integrating Product Owners more fully into the Product Management organization, providing them with opportunities to expand their scope of responsibilities and grow into more strategic roles.
Strategic Actions for Empowering Product Owners
To effectively transform Product Owners from “order takers” into empowered, strategic partners, consider the following actions:
Foster Ownership and Accountability
To assess and cultivate ownership among Product Owners, ensure they are involved in strategic discussions and can articulate how their work aligns with the product vision. Regularly gather feedback from cross-functional teams and monitor how Product Owners take responsibility for outcomes. High-level leaders should check for active participation in strategic meetings and assess whether Product Owners are driving product vision.
Integrate Product Owners into Strategic Discussions
Promote strategic involvement by establishing regular forums for Product Owners to engage in high-level discussions. Set clear expectations that they are to contribute strategically, not just manage backlogs. Encourage mentorship from senior leaders and facilitate cross-functional collaboration to broaden their perspective. Track and support their participation in strategic decision-making processes.
Develop Clear Career Paths for Product Owners
Product Owners are essentially limited-scope Product Managers. Integrating them into the Product Manager’s organization is critical for providing clear career progression opportunities. By being part of the Product Manager’s team, Product Owners gain invaluable opportunities to learn from the activities of other team members. This exposure helps them develop the broader skills and knowledge needed to grow into full-fledged Product Managers, with responsibilities including setting product vision, market analysis, customer engagement, and leading cross-functional teams.
Mentorship: The Key to Elevating Product Owners
The distinction between Product Owners and Product Managers should be eliminated, as it often leads to misalignment and stunted career growth. In most organizations, Product Owners don’t actually “own” anything, making the title misleading. For a career development strategy to work effectively, Product Owners need to report directly to Product Managers rather than engineering leadership. By eliminating the distinction and ensuring proper reporting, Product Managers can take full responsibility for mentoring and developing Product Owners, guiding them through a progression into broader strategic roles.
Encourage Cross-Functional Learning and Development
Encourage Product Owners to engage in cross-functional learning, which involves understanding how different functions like UX design, marketing, sales, and customer success contribute to product strategy. This broader perspective will enhance their decision-making abilities and prepare them for future leadership roles. Leveraging structured systems can provide Product Owners with the tools they need to transition into more strategic roles and align with the broader goals of the organization.
Conclusion
As leaders responsible for aligning product and engineering strategies, it’s essential to redefine the Product Owner role to maximize its impact on your organization. By integrating Product Owners into the Product Manager’s organization and eliminating the distinction between these roles, you can foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and strategic contribution. This alignment not only enhances product success but also provides clear career progression opportunities, transforming Product Owners into well-rounded Product Managers. To ensure this transformation, emphasize cross-functional learning, strategic involvement, and structured career development, guided by proven frameworks and industry expertise.
If you’re looking for more tailored advice on how to implement these strategies by adopting structured systems in your organization, I invite you to connect with me. You can reach out via direct message on LinkedIn or through our company website, and we can explore how to elevate your Product Owners and drive greater success across your teams.
