Comments on: Success is not a zero-sum game

By: David Locke

David Locke — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:49:47 +0000

Economists have warned that globalism should not be a zero-sum game. Unfortunately, globalism is being played that way, otherwise the focus would be on conserving managerial focus, rather than cash, and that managerial focus would be spent creating new categories and new wealth, rather than managing the outsourcing itself.

To play globalism as a non-zero sum game, you must let the outsourced manage their efforts their way. This without cultural fit, customer (you) intrusion, or middle of the night calls around the world. Spec it. Ship the spec. Forget it. Focus, instead on making a new world where the outsourced skill is irrelevant.

By: David Locke

David Locke — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:45:53 +0000

A zero-sum game is a game with an indirect relationship. Win-Lose.

In your failure to deliver results in a negative outcome situation is a Lose-Lose or direct relationship, not a zero-sum game.

Likewise the disconnection of product success and product manager success implies a lack of linkage or relationship between outcomes, not a zero-sum game either. There are probabably more than one game being played in this situation. Worse, many other games are being played across the entire firm, so the best game is to leave.

By: Product Management Reader: 17June09 | The Productologist: Exploring the Depths of Product Management

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:38:42 +0000

[...] Success is not a zero-sum game [Lead on Purpose] [...]

By: Michael Ray Hopkin

Michael Ray Hopkin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:00:17 +0000

There are surely some instances where product success is a zero-sum game. However, I think they are rare. I cannot think of an instance where a product manager works in a zero-sum game. The more they help others succeed, the more they prosper, and the better their products perform in the market. -Michael

By: PuristProductManagement

PuristProductManagement — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:46:29 +0000

Although I completely agree with your post, I do think that relative product success, and product managers’ success is a Zero Sum game. Being able to successfully deliver a product can often be seen as a matter of faith for those outside of the product management world. Failure to deliver successfully directly impacts the product manager, but successful product do directly