How to say “no” as a product manager

Achieving the impossible is almost part of the job description for product managers. You’re routinely asked to add something else to the roadmap, even as your resources to develop the product are limited.

Successful product management often comes down to making the best of difficult situations. Not every idea or demand can be acted on, especially for Agile and Scrum teams. Some requests have to be denied, much to the dismay of stakeholders and customers.

Yet, strategically, it makes perfect sense. Many assume that saying “yes” means they’re easy to work with, but exercising the power and mastering the ability to say “no” as a product manager makes you more effective in your role.

Why it’s important to say “no”

To gain an appreciation for when and how to say “no,” it helps if you try to understand why it’s important to do so. First things first: Saying “no” isn’t about avoiding responsibility, being confrontational, or making a power move. A recent airfocus survey found that 92% of product professionals report that the loudest voice in the room outweighs data in making product decisions.

As a product manager, saying “no” for the right reasons—even to those with the loudest voices—allows you to:

• Ensure the integrity of your roadmap and focus on your most critical tasks.
• Provide greater bandwidth for high-ROI ideas and help reduce overall costs.
• Earn your team’s respect and solidify your reputation for effective product management.

Saying “no” doesn’t come naturally (or easily) to everyone. Whenever possible, most of us will avoid conflict, especially when it involves rejecting someone’s proposal in person. That’s why it’s crucial to read the signs and realize exactly when to say “no.”

How to know when to say “no”

Product managers have relationships to maintain, stakeholders and customers to satisfy, and roadmaps to manage. Saying “no” without justification or simply to protect your ego can be counterproductive and demoralizing to your team.

Although situations vary and circumstances differ by organization or industry, here are some common indicators it’s time to say “no”:

• When demands don’t align with the initial vision or strategy of the product
• When the cost-benefit tradeoff or added costs outweigh the potential advantage
• When adding new features pulls resources away from more important initiatives
  

In product management, every decision is based on key performance indicators. The airfocus survey referenced above also found that over 50% of product pros worry they’re not solving the right problems. As a product manager, it’s up to you to prioritize your organization’s objectives and clearly articulate the goals outlined in the roadmap.

How to say “no” effectively

By familiarizing yourself with even a few of the proven techniques for how to say “no” as a product manager, you’ll become more effective at turning down unrealistic or unreasonable requests. You may even win the requester’s immediate support for your decision.

The next time you need to say “no,” use the following tactics to frame the conversation.

Pay extra attention to (and empathize with) your audience

Whether it’s product management or everyday life situations, everyone wants to feel heard. Whenever someone comes to you with a demand that can’t be fulfilled, make sure you fully understand their reasoning before you respond. 

Legitimize their request by using a supportive and thoughtful phrase during your conversations, like “The feature you suggested is a good idea. In fact, it’s similar to something we considered for a possible addition when creating our roadmap.” 

Why? Showing you understand their request helps justify your reasons for “no.”

Turn active listening into a habit (and your superpower)

Building trust with your team is paramount as a product manager. Active listening demonstrates that you’re interested in what they care about and need to say. It requires you to reserve judgment, not interrupt, and pay attention.

So, instead of concentrating on what you’re going to say next, focus on repeating everything back to them to prove you’re engaged in the conversation. Make a habit of using terms like “Walk me through this again,” “Remind me…”  or “Help me understand…” Active listening fosters respect, lending support to the decisions you make.

Establish yourself as an expert in product management

People are more willing to welcome your decisions once they accept your authority as a product manager. Being the subject matter expert is about backing up your choices with more than opinions. Know your roadmap inside and out. Validate your decision to say “no” with the relevant data. 

Demonstrate your insider knowledge of the competitive landscape and user feedback. You might say something like “That USB feature you’re suggesting isn’t bad, but almost 95% of our users connect via Bluetooth.” 

Why? Clear, logical reasoning always helps soften the blow of being told “no.”

Look for opportunities to say “no” without saying “no”

Sometimes, a request is valid but just doesn’t fit within the current project timeline. Maybe the resources necessary to make a new feature viable simply aren’t available at the moment. If an idea shows promise, it may warrant further reconsideration by the team later on. However, the decision to bypass the suggestion (if only for the moment) still needs to be expressed. Clarify your stance by saying something like “I like what you’re bringing to the table. Let’s plan to revisit your idea after our current dev cycle slows down.” That way, your audience feels appreciated and encouraged to keep the ideas flowing.

Learning when and how to say “no” as a product manager takes practice and dedication, but it does get easier and will enable you to build stronger team relationships.

Make your roadmap readily accessible

Not everyone knows or understands the methodology being employed by their product manager. If your team could see the reasoning behind the way you (and your company) prioritize decisions and which project phases, milestones, and dependencies comprise your roadmap, they might become more selective about their requests.

This is where a product management and roadmapping platform like airfocus comes in handy. It enables teams to build or auto-generate strategic roadmaps focused on outcomes, not features. Additionally, by providing a single source of product truth, airfocus creates transparency at every level, which helps product teams connect strategy with execution and streamline decision-making.

Having the ability to easily customize and share roadmaps with every stakeholder helps minimize the frequency of unreasonable requests. And that makes it easier for you to say “no” as a product manager.