Are you an Order Taker or Value Creator ?
What all the great Product, Project & Delivery people have in common.
Have you ever felt like you're just passing on instructions from stakeholders to the development team without truly understanding the 'why' behind them?"
Maybe you’re a Product person, a Project Manager, a Scrum Master - or simply a person who is leading the team to deliver value.
But that’s the thing, you’re not quite focused on value.
You’re focused on moving requirements, perhaps with some questioning but for the most part you’ve fallen into the trap of becoming a glorified messenger :(
I empathise if this is happening to you because this has certainly happened to me through out my role.
If we want to deliver value as Product people, Project Managers or <insert your favourite Agile role> we need to go beyond taking orders.
We need to focus on becoming value creators.
Practitioners who can understand the bigger picture, challenges assumptions, and guides teams towards delivering real value.
What does a Value Creator look like?
Value creators are distinctively different in how they approach their role, they have a different mentality.
That mentality manifests into 4 things :
An Order taker focuses on “what” needs to be done.
A Value creator focuses on “why”.
An Order taker, when it comes to talking to customers, users, stakeholders, an Order Taker accepts requirements at face value.
A Value Creator questions, refines, and challenges requirements.
An Order Taker delivers features as requested, regardless of actual value.
A Value Creator delivers “things” that drive real value and align with strategic goals.
An Order Taker when working with Stakeholders acts as a “middle person”.
A Value Creator acts as a partner, facilitating meaningful conversations.
How to Transition from Order Taker to Value Creator
Cultivate Curiosity, always ask "why" before committing to a request. What problem are we actually trying to solve? What job is that the customer is trying to get done?
Build Strong Relationships with Stakeholders, creating trustworthy relationships and open communication channels are vital to be able to challenge requirements constructively! If people know that you are sincere and that you care about value, this makes difficult conversations easier.
Develop Empathy for Users, try to spend time understanding the users' pain points and experiences. This will help you advocate for them effectively. Perhaps listen into customer calls, read their feedback on how they’ve experienced the product - whatever it is, try to get closer to their experience.
Align with Business Goals, always ensure that the requirements you're prioritising align with the business’s strategic objectives. Every time we say “yes” to one thing, we are saying not to another. (We’ll need a follow up blog on this!).
Be Courageous: Don’t be afraid to push back on unnecessary requirements or suggest alternatives that provide more value. Remember the Pareto Principle (80/20), 80% of the value may very well come from 20% of the work.
Conclusion:
If you’re involved in building & delivering products or projects, remember it is not just about delivering ; it’s about delivering value. Moving from an order taker to a value creator requires a shift in mindset, approach, and communication…and the hardest part as always, courage!
Join us in our next Product Class for October 2024, reach out directly if you’d like to learn more.
Thanks,
Jem + T