Technology leaders are often the driving force of operational change because they understand early on that a Product Operating Model is the best way to deliver speed, agility, and customer value. However, it tends to come with the default responsibilities of addressing internal resistance, misconceptions, and other hurdles that derail the process and minimize results. 

If you’re a tech leader tired of hearing the C-suite or business leaders refer to Product Operating Model Transformation purely as a technical initiative, this guide is for you.

It will help you understand the “watch outs” and phrases that indicate resistance, how to respond in those instances, and, ultimately, shift mindsets around transformation so it’s understood as everyone’s job (not just tech’s).

Spot Resistance to Transformation: What to Listen For

In our work with tech leaders inside transforming organizations, we know a handful of talk tracks surface repeatedly. These comments indicate resistance and a lack of understanding of what’s required for true Product Operating Model Transformation. 

Here’s some of the most common pushback you’re likely to hear, with my diagnosis of the underlying sentiment (which will be helpful to understand before we get into the ways you can respond):

• “Do we really need to dismantle everything?” or “Isn’t what we’re doing good enough?”

• These statements are typically symptomatic of a leadership team that feels some fear around discrediting past efforts. Transformation might be perceived as a critique of their work.

• “Isn’t this just a tech thing? Why can’t my part of the org continue working the way it always has?”

• Humans don’t love change, but the benefits of transformation are only realized when the whole org embraces the shift. Letting go of the inertia of established practices and the gravitational pull of “how it has always been done” can feel like a risky leap, especially when the value of the change isn’t immediately evident. 

• “It’s just agile,” which is often paired with “We’ve already tried that.”

• This is symptomatic of someone with a project mentality. While agile practices may underpin the model, a Product Operating Model is about aligning the entire organization and breaking down silos to achieve unified goals (beyond how teams manage workflows). 

How to Combat Resistance: Three Results-Based Focus Areas

Whether your org is in the midst of transformation or only now considering it, there are a few key dimensions you can focus on to communicate the importance of the work and overcome resistance. Use these talking points to respond to resistance-driven statements.

1. IMPROVED SPEED & AGILITY

Agile practices enable faster, more predictable delivery, addressing frustrations with speed and inconsistent execution (this is usually the part the C-suite loves to hear!). It’s important, however, to separate the concept of agility—being able to move with speed and nimbleness—from Agile Methodology. While both are important parts of a product-led model,  they are not the same thing.

Decentralized decision-making minimizes command-and-control dynamics and empowers teams to take ownership of the work (this is usually the part senior leaders have trouble with in execution). This benefit is largely thanks to the cross-functional collaboration that breaks down silos and promotes skill growth and innovation. 

Plus, continuous feedback loops and iterative work cycles (markers of the Agile Methodology) enhance learning and adaptability, making teams more resilient to change. And all of these things are necessary to stay relevant in a world where disruptors (like AI) show up and cause ripples everywhere. 

Lead with this language if you know the C-suite is frustrated with:

• Constantly shifting priorities 

• Strategy communicated from the top is not understood or embraced at lower levels

• The speed of getting things done is slow, uneven, or unpredictable

• Command/control is pervasive

• Lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities

• Work is tactical and reactive, with a lot of firefighting/heroic actions

2. TOTAL BUSINESS & TECH ALIGNMENT

The unification of business strategy and technical strategy fuels acceleration—alone, neither is enough to move the needle on business outcomes. When alignment, accountability, and visibility into value creation happen, it’s clear what the organization achieves for its investment. 

The magic occurs when business and technical teams can co-create and rally around shared, measurable outcomes. It establishes clear ownership for each product or initiative, ensuring accountability for delivering value. 

Transparent prioritization processes and regular alignment meetings help everyone understand how decisions are made and how investments translate into tangible results. This approach ties work directly to business goals, making it easier to track and demonstrate ROI.

Lead with this language if you know the C-suite is frustrated that:

• Business and tech are operating in silos

• Tech always seems to be playing catch-up with business decisions

• "What did I get for my investment" is opaque

• There’s never enough runway—by the time something is launched, it’s already outdated or unable to satisfy customer needs because they have already shifted to the next thing

3. MORE EFFICIENT ECOSYSTEMS & STANDARDIZED PRACTICES

When strategy is aligned across the organization and priorities are set collaboratively and consistently, teams understand what they should work on next, leading to more predictable prioritization and clearer accountability. 

When your internal practices are standardized and documented, teams become more nimble and ready to handle evolving customer needs. (By the way, this is a necessary precursor to scaling because it takes longer for decisions to cascade as more teams come into the model. You want teams to be able to act independently, yet consistent with the overall strategic priorities.) 

Lead with this language if you know the C-suite is frustrated that:

• Repeatable processes or standard artifacts are abandoned under pressure

• There is little documentation, with most knowledge held in people's heads

• Data doesn’t exist or isn’t trusted to base decisions on (or easy enough to access consistently and reliably)

• Teams operate in functional silos and with redundancies

• Dependencies across teams that slow or stop work

• Experiences that reflect the organization's structure, not the desired customer experience

• Behaviors and stated culture are not aligned (e.g. lack of psychological safety, little room for experimentation)

The Benefits of Transformation: All or Nothing

Transformation is a “whole enchilada” scenario—speed, agility, and value delivery are only possible when the entire organization commits to the shift. This starts first and foremost with leadership. It can’t just be tech’s job—partnership with business and the rest of the C-suite is critical to rethinking how business and technology teams collaborate, aligning strategic objectives, and fostering a mindset shift across all levels. 

If you aren’t sure where to start, sit down with a few of your counterparts and take stock of the pain points I listed above. How many of these is the org struggling with? Use this guide to initiate conversations, address concerns, and show others the benefits you can unlock only when they fully commit to transformation.

And if it’s still feeling like a tall order, send me a note and we’ll chat about how Tuckpoint might help bring along others in your org so that transformation can happen sooner rather than later.