By Marty Cagan · svpg.com · LinkedIn
Marty Cagan argues that setting team objectives for a quarter is not enough; product teams must actively track and manage progress throughout the period. He explains that ongoing 'keep the lights on' work can crowd out objectives, so it must be monitored. Weekly OKR check-ins are the core mechanism for teams to review progress, surface blockers, and plan next steps. Leaders should resolve cross-team conflicts promptly and keep large group meetings to a minimum. The piece also stresses early escalation to managers, careful handling of dependencies, and a shared mindset of helping colleagues when it serves the customer and the wider organization.
01Key takeaways
- Treat team objectives as something to actively manage weekly, not just set once per quarter.
- Monitor routine keep-the-lights-on work, since spikes in it can quietly block objective progress.
- Use weekly OKR check-ins to review status, upcoming work and where help is needed.
- Escalate issues to your manager as early as possible, especially risks to high-integrity commitments.
- Track cross-team dependencies carefully and deliver on work others are waiting for.
- Be willing to help colleagues on other teams when it benefits the customer and the wider company.
02Key sections
- Ongoing management of objectives
- Once team objectives are set, the product team must keep actively tracking and managing progress, just as leaders do with product strategy.
- Keep the lights on work
- Routine maintenance work competes with objectives, so teams must watch for spikes in it that could stall meaningful progress.
- Weekly tracking
- Weekly OKR check-ins, covering status, upcoming work and help needed, are the key mechanism for teams to avoid months passing with little progress.
- Resolving conflicts and staying on track
- Leaders should manage cross-team issues promptly, while individuals get coaching and product managers escalate important issues and integrity risks early.
- Dependencies and helping colleagues
- Dependencies must be tracked closely, and teams should help colleagues when doing so serves the customer and the broader organization.
03From the post
“A partnership dedicated to teaching best practices to product teams and product leaders”
04Frameworks mentioned
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.