Many agile teams and product leaders assume they can make many product decisions on their own. They do have some constraints, such as “this kind of customer” and “these kinds of problems.” However, as the teams work together and explore the product, they assume they can decide on the designs and architecture. Product leaders assume they can plan and replan the product backlog, based on the team's learning. (I'm assuming the team and the product leader collaborate, but I wanted to explain where which people might lead the various decisions.)
But sometimes, a HiPPO, the Highest Paid Person's Opinion, overrules teams and product leaders. When HiPPOs overrule, they micromanage other people's work. They use power-over, not power-with to decide. A technical HiPPO, such as an architect or CTO, might overrule a design or architecture. A product HiPPO, such as a senior manager, might change the order of the backlog, or add more problems/features to it.
When people decide for others, they micromanage. (See Leadership Tip #9: See and Stop MicroManagement—Learn to Trust Instead.)
Micromanagement breaks organizations in many ways.
How Micromanagement Breaks Informal Working Agreements
We have many informal working agreements in organizations. But the biggest informal agreement is this:
- Senior leadership sets the strategy for the organization when they decide which products and services to offer for which kinds of customers.
- The team and the product leaders implement that strategy.
I'm fond of multiple short feedback loops so people can change their minds in the face of new data.
However, changing your mind is not the same as making decisions for other people.
When HiPPOs decide for other people, they create distrust across the organization, especially distrust between the team and the HiPPO. That distrust often creates communication distance. Now, the HiPPO has less information about the product and the various team and product leader decisions.
The non-HiPPO people suffer, and the product suffers from this lack of communication. With enough time, the HiPPO's decisions become worse and worse.
In addition, the organization often becomes “toxic” in too-predictable ways:
- Anyone involved in the product development activities becomes much more reluctant to decide on anything.
- Those people (whom you hired because they were smart) become less “engaged” and much more likely to leave.
- The product suffers because why would anyone stick their neck out for a decision when it's obvious the HiPPO doesn't trust them?
HiPPO-decision making is micromanagement.
However, the HiPPO often wants to make these decisions to manage risks. HiPPOs have alternatives.
Alternative Decision-Making for HiPPOs
One of my HiPPO clients, Fred, told me, “The risk of bad product decisions will kill our yearly revenue. I had to make those decisions. We need to get a move on and release this product now.”
I asked, “Did you explain that risk to the team?”
“No,” he said.
“Why not?”
“Because I don't want them to leave.”
People stay at companies for all kinds of reasons. And a big reason is when HiPPOs explain the risks, treat the people as if they are adults, and then ask those people to participate in managing the risks.
It seems simple to say. It's so, so hard to do. HiPPOs can:
- Ask for help. That's because assuming the HiPPO does their new job, they do not know enough anymore to decide alone.
- Explain the risks for why the HiPPO wants to decide. What's at stake? (If the HiPPO's self-esteem, that's a different problem.)
- Use the delegation continuum to explain how the HiPPO will use the team's input.
Even if the HiPPO will make the final decision alone (rarely do I recommend this), if the HiPPO explains how they will use the team's input, the HiPPO will avoid alienating the team.
And, once the HiPPO starts to explain, the HiPPO can create a trusting environment.
Choose When to Decide for Other People
I can't think of a time when a HiPPO should decide about product-based decisions for other people. I might not have a good enough imagination.
I can imagine a scenario where the project portfolio team decides on Monday and by Friday the world changes. Even so, I would explain that.
In general, I say, “Don't decide for other people who are adults.” Explain the risks and concerns you see. Decide in advance how you will use the team's information for any decision. Encourage debate and discussion. Then decide.
Being a HiPPO is a power play. Do you really need to play with power at work?