Fighting Against the Gravity of Norms

Sociologists tell us that one of the universal behaviors of humans is the following of norms. Norms are the generally accepted practices of any group of people. We are pulled toward norms because they provide consistency and comfort in our daily lives. They tell us how to act and what to expect from others. 

That pull that we feel when we want to fit in, not upset the status quo, or assure those rogue ideas don’t disrupt the flow of progress is akin to gravity. It’s a powerful force that takes serious effort to resist.

The very nature of product management asks us to do just that – fight the pull of gravity toward existing norms and find new ways of doing, being, and innovating in our work. 

Rule Breakers and Innovators

There is a reason that many product managers are rule-breakers and renegades. To have great success in this field, we have to throw our shoulders into the firmly set standards, behaviors, and rhythms of work and life that have become norms. We don’t do it for the sake of disruption alone, but for the sake of finding new and better solutions to the world’s (and businesses) most pressing problems. 

To those who don’t understand the need to resist gravity, product managers can seem like mythical creatures. Those are the people who fear change. Of course, resistance to change doesn’t make you a bad person. But since I’m the one writing this post, I am choosing to celebrate the edgy, disruptive, bad-ass intensity of product managers.

The Big Ideas

Being a child of the 80s, I have a distinct, visceral memory of my first Walkman (it was pink.) As Starship belted the lyrics to “We Built This City of Rock and Roll,” I walked around with seriously big hair jamming to my tunes, with the Walkman on my belt and the headphone cord tangled up in my arms as I danced through the house. I was so cool and didn’t even know that I needed a more portable option to hold thousands of songs or earbuds to replace the awkward headset tethered to us with a cord. 

It is because of product managers that the iPod was imagined, created, and marketed. And it is because of product managers that it continues to evolve. 

Here’s the deal though - most of us don’t work on the kind of flashy consumer products that so seriously changed our lives over the last three decades. Most product people I know are the ones working on complex identity management or data visualization platforms, with code that will never show up in an app store. We are the product people that are neck-deep in data integration, analytics dashboards, machine learning, or complex checkout flows. 

But we are all still working in service to the big ideas of the day. We are the ones fighting the gravity of the norms to move the needle forward, transforming our industries, our companies, or even entire sectors of our economy to impact the human experience in a myriad of ways. We probably won’t be on the main stage at any public event, nor will people know our name, even though we are having a huge impact on the lives of consumers around the world. 

It’s tempting to think that we’re not “real” product people, or that we don’t share DNA with the likes of those that are working on the sexy new apps and hardware. Even for rule-breakers like us, the gravity of the norms in our organizations is tempting. When we get tired, and our shoulders get sore, it can be easier to just give in to the old ways of working. 

Get Real - It is Lonely and Hard Work

Real, true product management can be lonely. I know it because I live in it. 

So, let’s quit. 

I KID! I won’t ever give up. I love the high of the breakthroughs, and knowing this work can and will make a difference in any enterprise willing to center the user and focus on delivering value for the customer. Bottom line: I love working with others that enjoy kicking and screaming against gravity. 

So instead, let’s band together. 

Join the Product Mastermind

Starting in June, a group of product managers fighting gravity in all kinds of organizations will work to support each other through a brand-new mastermind program I’m creating. I just opened it up last week, and nearly half of the seats are already full. 

This community will meet weekly for 12 weeks to learn, share ideas, and support one another.  We will feed the energy of one another. We’ll celebrate the ideas and wins that don’t get recognized by others. Together, we’ll advance the norms of disruption and innovation. 

This isn’t training. This is the start of a community of practice for a wide swath of the product community that doesn’t see their work in app stores or on stage at CES. It’s a way to bring smart, like-minded people together to help each other gain the strength and tools needed to show up and fight gravity with vigor and curiosity every day. 

If you’ve read this far, I’m guessing this group could be a good fit for you. Note: this is my pilot group, and as such I’ve priced it low for this founding group. If cost is a concern, you’ll not want to wait.