Most PMs are taught a myth that will break them at a big company:...
George from 🕹prodmgmt.world@nurijanian
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Apr 09, 2025
~3 min read
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Most PMs are taught a myth that will break them at a big company:
“Always prioritize the customer.”
It sounds noble, but it’s a trap.
Here’s how to stay ethical and deliver results.
Took me 7 years. You’ll get it in 3 minutes:
“Always prioritize the customer.”
It sounds noble, but it’s a trap.
Here’s how to stay ethical and deliver results.
Took me 7 years. You’ll get it in 3 minutes:
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The moment of crisis usually happens like this:
You're asked to implement a feature that clearly serves the business (monetization, engagement, etc.) with questionable user benefit.
Your PM training screams "this is wrong!" but everyone else acts like it's normal.
It is normal.
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You're asked to implement a feature that clearly serves the business (monetization, engagement, etc.) with questionable user benefit.
Your PM training screams "this is wrong!" but everyone else acts like it's normal.
It is normal.
[2/17]
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This isn't a sign you're at a "bad" company.
Netflix, Spotify, LinkedIn, Google - all implement features primarily serving business needs.
The problem isn't the business focus. It's the false binary we're taught:
"Either serve users OR serve business."
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Netflix, Spotify, LinkedIn, Google - all implement features primarily serving business needs.
The problem isn't the business focus. It's the false binary we're taught:
"Either serve users OR serve business."
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The truth: Product management in mature products isn't about choosing between users and business.
It's about finding the overlap AND minimizing the harm when they don't align.
Think of yourself not as a user advocate OR business driver, but as a translator between worlds.
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It's about finding the overlap AND minimizing the harm when they don't align.
Think of yourself not as a user advocate OR business driver, but as a translator between worlds.
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The Ethical PM Framework has three categories of product decisions:
1️⃣ Win-Win: Benefits both users and business
2️⃣ Compromise: Strong business case with acceptable user impact
3️⃣ Harmful: Strong business case but significant user harm
Your job changes in each scenario:
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1️⃣ Win-Win: Benefits both users and business
2️⃣ Compromise: Strong business case with acceptable user impact
3️⃣ Harmful: Strong business case but significant user harm
Your job changes in each scenario:
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For Win-Win decisions:
- Accelerate implementation
- Measure both user and business impact
- Document the alignment for future reference
- Use these wins to build stakeholder trust
These should be your highest priority opportunities.
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- Accelerate implementation
- Measure both user and business impact
- Document the alignment for future reference
- Use these wins to build stakeholder trust
These should be your highest priority opportunities.
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For Compromise decisions:
- Identify ways to minimize user friction
- Secure real user feedback to guide implementation
- Create honest but positive messaging
- Set clear thresholds for "acceptable" negative impact
These will be most of your work in established products.
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- Identify ways to minimize user friction
- Secure real user feedback to guide implementation
- Create honest but positive messaging
- Set clear thresholds for "acceptable" negative impact
These will be most of your work in established products.
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For Harmful decisions:
- Push back with data on long-term user impact
- Propose alternatives with better user/business balance
- Advocate for A/B testing to prove assumptions
- Document your position (tactfully)
Your job is to prevent these, not just implement them.
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- Push back with data on long-term user impact
- Propose alternatives with better user/business balance
- Advocate for A/B testing to prove assumptions
- Document your position (tactfully)
Your job is to prevent these, not just implement them.
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The ethical trap many PMs fall into isn't implementing business-focused features.
It's pretending they're "what users want" when they're clearly not.
Users can tell when you're not being authentic, and it erodes trust in everything else you do.
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It's pretending they're "what users want" when they're clearly not.
Users can tell when you're not being authentic, and it erodes trust in everything else you do.
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Real example: When we needed to implement a pricing change that would affect existing customers, I didn't pretend it was "better for users."
Instead, we:
- Grandfathered loyal customers
- Added genuine new value
- Communicated with honesty
- Measured & addressed pain points
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Instead, we:
- Grandfathered loyal customers
- Added genuine new value
- Communicated with honesty
- Measured & addressed pain points
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This is where most product advice fails new PMs.
It assumes you're at a startup seeking product-market fit, where user needs and business needs are naturally aligned.
Mature products operate differently. The main problems are already solved. You're optimizing.
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It assumes you're at a startup seeking product-market fit, where user needs and business needs are naturally aligned.
Mature products operate differently. The main problems are already solved. You're optimizing.
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Young PMs often tell me:
"My company doesn't care about users anymore."
What they mean is:
"My company is no longer making massive changes to core functionality based on user feedback."
That's different - and normal once product-market fit is achieved.
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"My company doesn't care about users anymore."
What they mean is:
"My company is no longer making massive changes to core functionality based on user feedback."
That's different - and normal once product-market fit is achieved.
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How to maintain your customer focus in business-driven environments:
1. Create a regular cadence of customer contact (weekly minimum)
2. Track customer impact metrics separately from business metrics
3. Build a "user impact assessment" into your decision process
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1. Create a regular cadence of customer contact (weekly minimum)
2. Track customer impact metrics separately from business metrics
3. Build a "user impact assessment" into your decision process
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4. Frame business initiatives as hypotheses to be tested
5. Negotiate for user-focused improvements alongside business initiatives
6. Document user pain points even when you can't immediately address them
7. Build relationships with user-facing teams for constant feedback
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5. Negotiate for user-focused improvements alongside business initiatives
6. Document user pain points even when you can't immediately address them
7. Build relationships with user-facing teams for constant feedback
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One meta-observation: The PMs who maintain the strongest customer connection while driving business results aren't idealists or cynics.
They're pragmatic optimizers who understand both worlds and constantly look for better alignment between them.
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They're pragmatic optimizers who understand both worlds and constantly look for better alignment between them.
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If you're struggling with this tension in your role, know you're not alone.
It doesn't mean you've "sold out" or your company is "anti-user."
It means you're doing the real work of product management in established products.
What part of this resonates with you?
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It doesn't mean you've "sold out" or your company is "anti-user."
It means you're doing the real work of product management in established products.
What part of this resonates with you?
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I hope you've found this thread helpful.
Follow me @nurijanian for more.
Like/Repost the quote below if you can:
Follow me @nurijanian for more.
Like/Repost the quote below if you can:
George from 🕹prodmgmt.world@nurijanian
Most PMs are taught a myth that will break them at a big company:
“Always prioritize the customer.”
It sounds noble, but it’s a trap.
Here’s how to stay ethical and deliver results.
Took me 7 years. You’ll get it in 3 minutes:
“Always prioritize the customer.”
It sounds noble, but it’s a trap.
Here’s how to stay ethical and deliver results.
Took me 7 years. You’ll get it in 3 minutes:
