32 - Defensive Conversations

Nobody likes having hard conversations at work. Whether it's telling customers the feature they requested isn't going to make it into the product, pushing back on scope creep from other teams, or explaining why you can't take on that "quick favor" that definitely isn't in your goals—these moments are rough. But they're also unavoidable.

This week, John and Nate talk through the two categories of tough conversations that come up in PM and PMM roles: external conversations with customers (outages, delays, bad news) and internal cross-functional battles. We also explore why being honest is almost always the right move, even when it's uncomfortable, and how to navigate the "it's not in my goals" problem without burning bridges.

Also covered: power tool battery platform lock-in, New Year's resolutions, and the fact that John Lennon was an objectively terrible person.

Your job is real, but your role is negotiable.

For video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXSGm0RUDxo

New Episodes every Tuesday

Videos and clips available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GettintoMarketPod