The Fast-Food Diet Didn’t Work… But That Doesn’t Mean Quit…

Spoiler alert: Renaming your project managers to "product owners" isn't actually transformation

Let's talk about that "move to product" thing you tried. You know, the one that crashed and burned harder than your New Year's resolutions.

The Fast-Food Trap - You went for the quick fix. The corporate equivalent of crash dieting. "Let's roll out the product model!" you said. "Let's have a big launch!" you said. "Let's send an all-staff email!" you said.

How's that working out for you?

Why It All Went Wrong - Here's the thing about spray-painting "AGILE" on your waterfall: The paint washes off.  You renamed some roles. Reshuffled some org charts. Called it "product transformation." But underneath? Same old same old. It's like putting lipstick on a pig. Sure, the pig looks fancy, but it's still going to roll in the mud.

The Geese Problem - Picture this: You've got 1,000 geese flying south. You convince 100 of them to fly north instead.

What happens? Those 100 rebels aren't leading a revolution - they're just lost and confused while the other 900 keep doing their thing. That's your tech team trying to "do product" while the rest of the business keeps marching to the project drumbeat.

Swimming Against the Tide - Here's another brilliant move: You changed how one team works but kept all the old governance.  That's like entering your team in a swimming race but making them wear concrete boots. "But why aren't they winning?" you ask, scratching your head.

The Real Deal

Want to know what actual product transformation looks like?

It's not:

• Renaming your Project Management Office to "Product Hub"
• Making everyone read that one book about Spotify
• Having stand-ups (while sitting down)

It is:

• Changing how value flows through your entire business
• Measuring outcomes instead of outputs
• Letting teams actually make decisions (scary, we know)
• Getting leadership to change their ways (even scarier)

How to Actually Fix This

1. Stop Pretending
   • Admit the first attempt was about as effective as a chocolate teapot
   • Face up to what really went wrong
   • No, it wasn't "lack of training"
2. Go All In or Go Home
   • Half-arsed transformation = full-arsed failure
   • Either change the whole system or don't bother
   • Yes, that includes your precious governance framework
3. Involve The People Who Actually Do The Work
   • Radical thought: Maybe ask the people doing the job?
   • Stop with the "tell" and start with the "involve"
   • Your people aren't idiots - they know what's broken

The Uncomfortable Truth

The goal isn't "doing product."

The goal is delivering better outcomes, faster.

Product thinking is just a means to an end. But if you're not ready to make real changes - properly uncomfortable, shake-the-foundations type changes - then save everyone the grief and stick to what you know.

The Choice

You can either:

• Do it properly this time
• Keep pretending your transformation worked
• Go back to projects and stop kidding yourself

Pick one. But whatever you do, stop living in the fantasy land where changing job titles equals transformation. Ultimately, the goal is not “product”. The goal is better, faster outcomes.