In my regular PM meeting, we had this as part of our "topic of the month" and I wanted to open it to you guys to see what you think. So, how do you deliver bad news on a project?
Is it like a band aid and just do it quick and fast to minimise the pain? Or is it better to wait and see if your sponsor notices? (Yes, someone really did say that!). Saving Changes...
Melissa AntonianoTechnical Project Manager| NokiaColorado Springs, CO, United States
Great question, Emily!
I agree with previous answers.
I tend to be in the camp of rip off the Band-Aid; and with that, I want to be prepared to provide information about what was the problem, how was it solved, or the team's thoughts on how it can be solved; or, what we need from You (person I'm delivering bad news to) to help us solve it. Generally, if there is going to be bad news to deliver to someone, we've known it for a while and if we've been communicating according to plan, it should not come as a surprise. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
You definitely want to keep your project sponsor in the loop. How else can she be your champion?
This must be tempered. If you start sharing everything, you might run afoul of the "bringing me problems only", as discussed in Suzi's thread.
Bottom line: make sure that any bad news is accompanied by your plan to correct the situation. Saving Changes...
