Product Manager’s Favorite Answer: It Depends…
By late afternoon of Sept 20th, the speakers of the XLRI Aurora 2.0 event had arrived on campus. After a brief rest, we gathered in the evening to network and engage in conversations. The campus, lush with greenery and shaded by towering trees, was visually refreshing, but the humidity was high, and we found ourselves sweating despite the pleasant environment. Naturally, as product managers, our conversation gravitated toward the subject closest to our hearts — Product Management.
During the discussion, I made a light-hearted comment: “If you ask someone what one plus one equals, and they reply, ‘it depends,’ you can be sure that person is a product manager.” This analogy drew laughter, but as the evening progressed, I realized how profoundly true that statement is. For product managers, “it depends” is not just a punchline; it’s an essential mindset, reflecting the adaptability and fluidity required to navigate the complexities of the role.
Product Management is often described as the art of managing possibilities and choices. Unlike many other fields, where rigid plans and methods can lead to success, product management thrives on flexibility. The journey from ideation to adoption rarely goes exactly as planned. There are always challenges, unforeseen obstacles, and shifting requirements. The key to successful product management lies not in avoiding these deviations but in navigating them skillfully while minimizing their impact on the end goal.
This ability to adapt reminded me of a lesson from the Mahabharat, one of India’s greatest epics. In the famous battle of Kurukshetra, Dronacharya, a revered warrior and teacher of the Pandavas, stood as a formidable opponent. His skill in battle was unmatched, and even Arjun, the most talented warrior among the Pandavas, found it nearly impossible to defeat him. Sri Krishna, with his divine foresight and strategic mind, recognized that the only way to overcome Dronacharya was to exploit his emotional vulnerability — his deep love for his son, Ashwathama.
Krishna devised a plan that involved making Dronacharya believe that Ashwathama had been killed in battle. If Dronacharya thought his son had died, his spirit would break, and he would lay down his weapons. The Pandavas, however, were deeply conflicted. The idea of deceiving their teacher and striking him while he was unarmed felt dishonorable, even if it was necessary for the larger goal of winning the war. Krishna, ever pragmatic, reminded them that the ultimate objective was to establish Dharma and that victory was essential for achieving it. Dronacharya’s death was a step toward that goal, and while it was difficult, it was justified in the grander scheme of things.
Even with Krishna’s reasoning, Bheem and Yudhisthir struggled to follow through with the plan. To resolve their dilemma, Krishna pointed out an elephant on the battlefield named Ashwathama. Bheem killed the elephant and loudly proclaimed that “Ashwathama is dead!” However, Dronacharya, wise and perceptive, doubted Bheem’s words and asked Yudhisthir that if Ashwathama is really dead? Yudhisthir as true Product Manager nodded and said something in other words which meant ‘it depends….’.
Yudhisthir, embodying the very essence of what it means to be a product manager, delivered a nuanced response: “Ashwathama Hata, Iti Narova Kunjarova,” meaning, “Ashwathama is dead, but I cannot say whether it was a man or an elephant.”
The second part of Yudhisthir’s statement was spoken so softly that Dronacharya did not hear it. Trusting Yudhisthir’s reputation for honesty, Dronacharya laid down his weapons, and Dhristyadhumna seized the opportunity to kill him. The lesson here is powerful: Yudhisthira did not lie, but he navigated a situation with multiple layers of complexity, choosing his words carefully to achieve the desired outcome. This is a perfect metaphor for product management.
In product management, rarely is there a straightforward answer to even the simplest questions. When asked, “What is one plus one?” a product manager who says “it depends” is not dismissing the obvious answer ‘two’ but is acknowledging the possibility of multiple outcomes based on varying factors. Perhaps one plus one equals two in an ideal scenario, but in the real world of product development, things are seldom ideal. Deadlines, resources, stakeholder expectations, and market conditions all influence what the final outcome might be.
Customers often have expectations that are far beyond the capabilities of the available resources or timelines. In these situations, product managers must find creative solutions, balancing competing priorities to deliver the best possible outcome. Sometimes, the route from point A to point B appears clear on the map, but when obstructions arise, a product manager must be prepared with alternate routes. This adaptability is crucial, and the phrase “it depends” is emblematic of that flexibility. It suggests that the product manager is considering multiple variables and potential solutions, rather than locking in on a single, rigid answer.
At the XLRI Aurora 2.0 event, all twenty panelists were seasoned product managers, well-acquainted with the complexities of the field. During our light-hearted discussion while walking through the green, serene campus, we reflected on the importance of remaining open to multiple possibilities. The next day, during one of the panel sessions, a panelist was asked a challenging question responded, “It depends.” Those of us who had shared the previous evening’s conversation couldn’t help but smile, recognizing the depth and wisdom embedded in those two simple words.