Presenting multiple options with a recommendation beats pitching a single option
Matt LeMay · The one question that saves product careers | Matt LeMay · Aug 14, 2025 · at 1:11:34
Product consultant Matt LeMay explains why product managers should present multiple structured trade-offs alongside a recommendation instead of pitching a single proposal.
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“Options and a recommendation is kind of the magic formula. I did when I was working with Mailchimp, we actually did a workshop with all the product managers at the company where we had people like, Role play trying to sell in a single option versus multiple options with a recommendation, and it was amazing how when you present a single option, People's instinct is just to like, well, I don't know, like you start poking holes in it, not because you're a jerk, but because you're looking at one thing and you're like, oh, well, what about this? What about that? Again, all of your own anxieties and fears and the things that you don't feel represented in there and where you're worried, what if this happens, what if that happens, all of that kind of detracts from the momentum. Whereas if you come in and say, here are three options, here are the trade-offs, here's the one we recommend, then Every little bit of back and forth makes those options clearer and stronger.”
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