Better Defaults

I’m leading a high-priority project laced with complexity right now. It requires my full focus, yet I’m still pulled into other projects and responsibilities. Transitioning is hard, but context-switching is harder. It all feels manageable until you realize each effort is only moving all projects just enough to stay on track, but not far enough to stay ahead.

And that’s the goal—to stay ahead. Part of product management is staying close to the team during delivery. You have to help make trade-off decisions, modify the scope, and empower the team through context. But the more you’re in the present, the less you’re preparing for what’s ahead, laying the groundwork for the next scope of work that sets the team up for success. It’s a balance, a dance between looking ahead and pausing to help keep the work moving.

This past week, I finally got my time up over 70% on this project. And I did it without shedding any other responsibilities (yet).

How? Better Defaults.

Instead of saying yes to new requests, I said no and stayed focused on my priorities.

Instead of assuming a solution presented was the right one, I asked why to clarify and make sure there wasn’t an easier path.

Instead of jumping into work that was too big, I started small and tested through experimentation, validation, and iteration.

Say No

If you don’t prioritize your time, someone else will. And the surest path to losing control of your time is saying yes to everything.

Being open to new opportunities is important, but there simply isn’t time for everything. Making an impact requires focus. And focus is achieved through a ruthless elimination of all the things you could do.

Defaulting to no doesn’t mean you always say no. It just means that’s your default stance, and you should weigh each opportunity as such.

As Steve Jobs famously said:

People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are.

Ask Why

One of my principles is Understand First, which is about taking the time to fully grasp a problem before trying to solve it. Instead of accepting the stated problem, engage in critical thinking, ask why, and dig deeper.

Even if someone I trust comes to me with a detailed assessment of the problem and solution, asking why does two things:

1. It helps you understand the thinking and the nuances within the thought process.
2. It helps them articulate their understanding in new ways as they capture a new perspective (yours).

Sometimes you end up in the same place, sometimes you don’t. Either way, you learn and improve your understanding. Doing so provides a full perspective, deepening your context and ability to make good decisions.

Start Small

Once the opportunity is validated, then it’s time to identify the approach. Instead of working against the full problem, start small and limit the scope. Constraints are key.

Ask yourself: What is one small experiment I can test this week?

This limits your commitment and lowers your risk. You can test something in isolation and decide if and how to move forward.

Experiment failed? You learned.

Experiment succeeded? You can identify the next small step you can take.

Like asking why, you win either way.

This is an exercise in building an Experimental Mindset and leveraging Surface Control.

Create Your Defaults

When you have the wrong default behaviors, it’s easy to fall into bad habits without even realizing it. You say yes to opportunities that steal your focus; you work on projects without understanding their value; you get pulled into work that is messy. But when you reset your defaults with Better Defaults, you filter the noise to find the signal. You find work that aligns with your values, provides focus, and creates space to do your best work.

To build Better Defaults, ask yourself:

• What are my current default responses to opportunities and requests?
• How can I create stronger filters that align with my priorities and values?
• Where am I saying “yes” too quickly without evaluating the impact on my focus?

Use the answers to design your own Better Defaults to control your time and focus.