Frustration means you give a shit

Monday morning. I'm about to jump on a 1:1 with my CTO/manager and I'm genuinely unsure if I should say anything. We started a new project at work a couple months ago. We're 1-2 weeks from shipping a first version. But something doesn't feel right and I can't shake it. The weekend didn't help - I just kept turning it over in my head. Should I even raise this? It might sound like I'm being negative. We're so close to launch, is it even worth it now?

Minutes before the call I remind myself: I'm someone who voices things. This helps me, and it helps others. If people don't voice concerns, how can anyone know about them? So I do it. I tell my manager I'm frustrated with this project. I give concrete examples; the marketing approach feels off, I don't believe in the sales model, I'm not sure what we should focus on next. He does a great job trying to pinpoint where this feeling is coming from. It gets me thinking.

But honestly? I end that conversation feeling drained and defeated. What did I actually expect to happen? Nothing changed. I walked away thinking "well, never mind I guess." I move on. But I don't stop thinking about it.

By Wednesday I raise my concerns again. This time I come with ideas, not just frustration. I'd spent a couple days researching, reflecting, figuring out why it bothered me and what I'd do differently. That conversation lands different. One idea turns into an action item we start changing immediately. Another becomes a meeting invite, because other people chime in agreeing with me.

Exactly one week later, another 1:1. My manager starts by saying he wants to come back to our chat from last week. He tells me I started that week in rant mode, venting. But then he watched me turn that frustration into something actionable. He saw the shift.

And that hit me.

I'm always one to speak up, but even for me it's hard sometimes. You don't want to sound like a non-believer. You don't want to be the negative one so close to shipping. But here's what I actually think: frustration means you're a believer. You want this thing to work. You care enough to be bothered when something's off.

Founders and leaders can get blinded by their own vision. They're selling the thing, they're deep in it, they can't always see the gaps from the ground. That's not a criticism - it's just how it works. If everyone took the vision for granted and trusted that leadership knows everything (they don't), nothing would ever get better.

I'm still learning to trust that frustration is useful - even when it feels like complaining.

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Let's connect on LinkedIn - What frustrates you?