Episode 254: Pushing Back on Unsustainable Workloads

Join Melissa Perri in this episode of the Product Thinking Podcast as she tackles the complex issue of managing an overwhelming workload as a product manager. A senior product manager shares their struggle of handling five engineering teams, a task typically assigned to multiple product managers. Melissa offers practical advice on how to communicate with leadership, prioritize effectively, and implement systems to manage scope.

If you've ever faced the challenge of balancing broad strategic oversight with detailed management, this episode is a must-listen. Melissa's insights will help you understand how to align your team's work with company goals while maintaining quality and focus.

You’ll hear us talk about:

• 03:36 - The Classic Project Management Trade-Off

Melissa discusses the well-known project management saying about scope, quality, and speed, explaining how product managers must often choose between these competing priorities.

• 04:44 - Proposing Solutions to Manage Workload

Melissa provides a framework for presenting options to leadership, including hiring additional product managers and weighing the opportunity costs of current workloads.

• 07:40 - Building Internal Systems for Workload Management

Melissa advises on creating internal systems to distribute work, allowing development leads to step into prioritization roles, thus enabling a more balanced workload distribution.

Tune in to gain actionable strategies and ensure your product management approach aligns with your organization's strategic goals.

Episode resources:

Check the localization report: https://lokalise.com/library/data-reports/localization-revenue-report-2025/

Check our courses: https://productinstitute.com/