“The great thing about fact based decisions is that they can overrule the hierarchy.” Jeff Bezos
It’s the holiday shopping season and we’ve seen a spike of purchases from our Pragmatic Institute e-store. The most popular item is the coffee mug with our trademark quote, “Your opinion, while interesting, is irrelevant.” (You’ll also find mouse pads and posters of our Pragmatic Marketing Framework.) Remember, you need to hold this mug in both hands! Once in a while, you remind people on your team that THEIR opinions are irrelevant and sometimes to remind yourself that YOUR opinion is irrelevant. Let’s make it a little simpler: when we have market facts, OUR opinions, while interesting are irrelevant. And let’s hope that this mug isn’t your annual bonus.
Author
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Steve Johnson was a founding instructor at Pragmatic Institute, a role he held for more than 15 years before he left to start Under10 Playbook. In his return to Pragmatic Institute, Steve supports the complete learning path for product teams, ensuring they are fully armed for success. Over the course of his career, Steve has helped thousands of companies and tens of thousands of product professionals implement product management processes. He has worked in the high-tech arena since 1981, rising through the ranks from product manager to chief marketing officer. Steve has experience in technical, sales and marketing management positions at companies that specialize in both hardware and software. In addition, he is an author, speaker and advisor on product strategy and product management.