Describe a situation where you held an unpopular contrarian position.

Example Answers

Enterprise Software Savant

Sure, I'd be happy to answer your question.

There was a time when I was working with a cross-functional team on a new feature for our enterprise software. The team had been discussing a new feature that would allow our clients to import and export data to and from our software more quickly. The team was excited about the idea, and most of them had already agreed to implement it.

However, after thoroughly examining the details of this proposed feature, I realized that it had certain flaws that the team hadn't considered. After careful consideration, I realized that implementing this feature could put our customers' data privacy at risk. This was a controversial view, and many team members were advocating for the feature's implementation.

To communicate my viewpoint, I first approached the team leader and explained my concerns and presented the evidence backing up my view. We had a lengthy discussion, and while he was initially hesitant to agree, he appreciated my feedback as he learned some crucial points that he hadn't previously considered.

However, the team was not convinced easily. I then, held a team meeting and raised the concern, backing up my viewpoint with examples of similar situations in the past. I was also open to feedback and discussion with the team and encouraged them to express their views.

At the end of the day, the consensus was that my concerns were valid and that implementing the proposed feature could pose a significant risk. As a result, the team decided to scrap the feature and replace it with a more secure alternative.

I think it's essential for a product manager to have the courage to speak up and present their perspectives, even when they go counter to the conventional thinking. I also believe in taking a collaborative approach and supporting my opinion with data, experiences and analogies whenever necessary. This openness and clarity of communication have always led me to come to the best decision as a team, not just as an individual.

E-Commerce Specialist

Sure, I'd be happy to answer that question. In my previous role, I was responsible for optimizing the checkout process for a large e-commerce platform. During a meeting with stakeholders and senior leadership, we were discussing potential A/B tests to improve the checkout process. The majority of the team was focused on optimizing the layout and design of the checkout page, with a few suggesting we should consider adding more steps to the process to gather more customer information.

However, I held an unpopular contrarian position. Based on the user research data and my previous experience, I strongly believed that adding more steps to the checkout process would reduce conversion rates and lead to customer frustration. Instead, I suggested that we simplify the process by removing some of the steps and restructuring the page.

Initially, there was pushback from some stakeholders, who viewed my suggestion as unconventional and risky. However, I remained firm in my position and presented the data and insights that supported my view. I walked them through specific examples of other e-commerce platforms that had experienced a boost in conversions rates by simplifying the checkout process.

I also took the time to listen to their concerns and suggestions, and worked collaboratively to address them. I made sure to communicate that I understood their viewpoints, but clarified that my goal was to provide a solution that would benefit the customer journey and overall business outcomes.

In the end, we tested my approach alongside the other proposed A/B tests. My approach performed the best, leading to a 33% increase in conversions rates compared to the other tests. This experience reinforced the importance of staying true to data and insights while also being open to feedback and collaboration.

Mobile App Guru

Sure, I would be happy to describe such a situation.

At one of my previous companies, we were developing a social networking app that allowed users to share photos and videos with their friends and followers. The development team had come up with a new feature that they were very excited about - the ability for users to add filters and effects to their photos and videos.

At first, it seemed like a great idea. After all, Instagram was growing rapidly and filters seemed to be a must-have feature for any photo-sharing app. However, based on my analysis of user feedback and analytics, I came to the conclusion that our users, who were mostly teenagers and young adults, actually preferred the raw, unfiltered look of their photos and videos.

I was concerned that adding filters would make the app appear outdated, as many other apps offered similar filter features.

Communicating my viewpoint was not easy, as the developers were very passionate about their idea, and some of the company executives were also on board with the filter feature. However, I was actually able to change their minds by presenting concrete data in a way that clearly demonstrated user preferences.

I did this by conducting a survey of our user base, which showed that the majority of our users preferred the unfiltered look. I also presented data from analytics showing that engagement and retention were higher for unfiltered content.

After presenting this data, I was easily able to convince the executives and developers to abandon the filter feature, and instead invest in other features that were more aligned with our users' preferences.

In terms of handling pushback, I found it helpful to be open-minded and respectful of other viewpoints. I listened to the developers' concerns and feedback, and was able to present them with data that supported my own viewpoint. Ultimately, our goal was the same - to create a successful app that users would love - and by showing how my approach could help us achieve that, I was able to gain support for my position.

Consumer Electronics Enthusiast

Sure, I'd be happy to share an example.

In my most recent role as a product manager in the consumer electronics industry, I encountered a situation where the hardware team and I had differing opinions on the direction of a new product. They wanted to focus on adding more features and increasing the size of the device, while I believed that the market was shifting towards smaller, more portable products with fewer but more streamlined features.

Initially, it was a challenging situation because the hardware team felt that their expertise in the field gave their opinion more weight. But, I knew that my experience in understanding consumer preferences and market trends brought significant value to the conversation.

Instead of arguing and trying to force my opinion, I took a step back and initiated a more collaborative conversation, asking probing questions about why they felt their approach was the best one. Through this, I understood their perspective and concerns, which allowed me to adjust my pitch to make it more compelling to them.

Then, I presented data on market trends and consumer preferences that supported my viewpoint. I also shared examples of similar products that had succeeded in the market with a similar approach. This helped to persuade the hardware team that it was a viable option.

Furthermore, I made sure to continually communicate the benefits of the smaller product to all relevant stakeholders, including the executive team and marketing department. I provided regular updates on the development process and highlighted how our product was different from others in the market.

In the end, my team and I were able to develop a product that was successful in the market and met the needs of the customers. This experience taught me that success as a product manager requires strong communication skills and the ability to present a persuasive argument backed up by data. It also highlighted the importance of being open to differing perspectives and collaborating to find the best solution.

SaaS Strategist

Sure, I can provide an example of a time where I held an unpopular contrarian position in my role as a product manager.

At my previous company, the leadership team was considering increasing the subscription fee for our SaaS platform in order to increase revenue. However, after analyzing our customer base and our competitors’ pricing models, I came to the conclusion that a price hike would lead to decreased customer retention and ultimately, hurt our bottom line in the long run.

I communicated my viewpoint to the leadership team during a meeting, citing data from customer surveys and competitor analysis to support my argument. However, there was pushback from some members of the executive team who were insistent on increasing the price.

In response, I took the time to listen to their concerns and addressed them by presenting alternative revenue streams that we could explore. For example, we could offer additional features or services that could be purchased by customers who were willing to pay more. I also proposed a phased approach to testing the new pricing model on a sample of customers first before making a company-wide decision.

Ultimately, my approach was successful in convincing the executive team that a price hike wasn’t the best solution for our business. Instead, we focused on developing and offering new, value-added features and services to customers who were willing to pay more, which resulted in increased revenue without alienating our current customer base.

I believe that it’s important to stand up for your convictions as a product manager, but it’s equally important to listen to other viewpoints and work collaboratively to find the best solution for the company.

Cybersecurity Expert

As a cybersecurity product manager, I have often found myself in situations where I have had to take an unpopular contrarian position. One particular instance that comes to mind was when I was working on a new cybersecurity solution for a client who wanted to provide end-to-end encryption for their data.

While most of the team was of the view that end-to-end encryption was the best approach, I was of the opinion that it could be more of a risk than a solution. I was concerned that it could lead to a false sense of security, and that the client's data may still be vulnerable to threats such as phishing attacks and social engineering.

To communicate my viewpoint, I undertook extensive research that showed the potential risks of end-to-end encryption and presented my findings to the team. I also offered a potential solution that involved a multi-pronged approach consisting of encryption, awareness training, and other security measures to address the vulnerabilities.

While there was some initial pushback from the team, I continued to engage in open and honest discussion with them about the issue, and worked to address their concerns and doubts about my proposal. Ultimately, I was able to convince the team to adopt the solution that addressed the vulnerabilities and provided a more comprehensive approach to securing the client's data.

In conclusion, effective communication, research, and the ability to listen to and address concerns are key in handling an unpopular contrarian position. It is essential to take a collaborative approach and ensure that the best solution is reached, even if it is not the most popular at first.