When I joined my client’s team as a freelance Product Manager some time ago, I stepped into a very challenging environment (dear CEOs/CTOs, pay close attention to this 🚩 list):
- There was high pressure from shareholders on top management to generate more revenue → this pressure was passed down to the teams. Users were no longer the focus; revenue generation was.
- Top-down decisions ruled. Many decisions were based on what the competition was doing or what the CTO thought was a good idea → goals shifted constantly, priorities changed weekly, and data was often ignored.
- Random ideas from the CEO/CTO took immediate priority. Teams had to stop work mid-development to start new initiatives → this chaotic environment led to more stress and declining product quality.
As a result:
- Product Managers became Project Managers, simply executing management’s wishes. There was no space left for exploration, and product development was no longer data-driven. The data team was severely understaffed.
- Management was consistently disappointed with the team’s delivery and product quality.
- Employees were demotivated and near burnout → high turnover rates and a continuous loss of team knowledge.
I could feel the developers’ and designers’ frustration in every meeting: sad, bitter smiles said it all: “Whatever 🤷♀️.I’ve raised my concerns many times, but nothing changes. I’ll just do what you want and maybe look for another job 😏.”
It was like radiation, seeping through every meeting. And I started feeling it myself just days after joining ☢
As a new-joiner freelancer, I asked myself: How should I approach this situation? Leaving the project wasn’t an option, and I had no backup plan.
Still, here’s what helped me navigate the challenges:
1. Building Trust through 1:1s
I was new, and so was the team to me, so the most important first step was building trust.
I scheduled 1:1s with everyone—whether in the office or remote—and listened carefully. I focused on being an active listener, letting people talk freely.
Only through empathy and personal conversations could I understand the main pain points.
2. Implementing Agile Practices with the Help of an Agile Coach
I was fortunate to have an amazing Agile Coach on my side, already embedded in the team.
With her help, we moved forward through regular retrospectives, feedback loops, anonymous surveys, and, most importantly, active listening.
We gradually improved team engagement and learned to push back on unreasonable management requests.
3. Showing Gratitude
Saying “thank you” to the team became a small but powerful tool.
“Thank you for this release, great job, team!”, “Thank you for fixing that nasty bug; it was holding everyone back. Well done!”
Simple words of appreciation worked wonders, providing small but meaningful boosts to morale.
4. Making Meetings More Engaging
I always ask myself: How can I make this meeting more enjoyable for the team?
Starting with a light joke, giving someone a compliment, or even playing some good music during breaks helped create a more relaxed atmosphere.
These, looks like small, gestures helped everyone exhale a bit.
In a high-pressure environment where demotivation was widespread, empathy, gratitude, and humour were essential in bringing some joy back into the workday.
Of course, these actions didn’t solve the larger issues of shifting goals and constant pressure from the management.
So if you’re in a leadership position, take note of the first list in this article.
No matter how great your product is, if you focus solely on revenue while ignoring user needs and data, and continue piling pressure on your teams, you’re steering towards disaster.
P.S. If you see any similarities to your own company, don’t worry—this is a purely fictional story with coincidental characters 😉
Need help with finding the right talent? CodeControl can support you either with remote hiring or with finding top tech freelancers.