Stop Setting Goals, Start Solving Puzzles: Rethinking Strategy with Radhika Dutt

In this episode of Beyond Product Management, Heather sits down with Radhika Dutt — MIT engineer, serial founder, author of Radical Product Thinking, and upcoming author on why OKRs fail — for a conversation that will completely shift how you approach goals, strategy, and product decisions.Radhika unpacks:Why OKRs inherently incentivize teams to hide bad dataHow “product diseases” quietly infect even the most well-intentioned organizationsThe real reason leaders become “the last to know”What happens when we optimize for quick wins instead of real learningWhy research shows goal-setting only works for repetitive tasks — not strategy, innovation, or product developmentHow to replace goal-setting with puzzle-setting and puzzle-solvingA fascinating case study where this approach doubled revenue and dropped churn from 26% to 4%Heather and Radhika also dive into:How teams accidentally sabotage each other’s successWhy focusing on “the number” destroys collaborationWhat to do when your goals depend entirely on other teamsHow to bring this mindset into your work even if your org won’t abandon OKRsRadhika shares her OHLAs Framework (Objectives → Hypotheses → Learnings → Adaptations) and where you can get her free toolkit to start applying it immediately — even as an individual contributor.If you’re tired of soul-sucking OKR cycles or you’re heading into annual planning and know something feels off, this conversation is the strategic reset you need.Links MentionedDownload Radhika’s free OHLA ToolkitConnect with Radhika on LinkedInRadhika' WebsitePDRM Consulting's mission is to help businesses reduce risk, specifically in the fields of Cybersecurity and Product Management.Heather bridges the professional development gap in the corporate space by empowering growth-driven product managers to transition into strategic, results-oriented leaders. By focusing on enhancing key skills and decision-making capabilities, she helps them accelerate their leadership journey, achieve measurable outcomes more quickly, and excel in driving product success. Her approach ensures they thrive in their roles and unlock their full potential as impactful servant leaders within their organizations.You can follow us for more daily content:Instagram: @pdrmconsultingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pdrm-consultingJoin our Newsletter:https://solitary-block-17987.myflodesk.com/ofo6k6a0f9