View webinar: http://www.eurostarconferences.com/community/member/webinar-archive/webinar-91-i-think-we-have-an-issue-%E2%80%93-delivering-unwelcome-messages As testers, project managers, or consultants, we are paid to tell the truth as we see it. But what to us is evident fact about our projects can be unwelcome news to the powerful people who need to hear the message. Delivering bad news well to customers and senior managers takes courage and skill, as does dealing with many of the recipient’s reactions. For most people, the ability to do these things at all—let alone well—does not come easily. In this webinar, Fiona Charles shares practical strategies and tips for delivering significant messages successfully. Presented by Fiona Charles

1. I Think We Have an Issue
Delivering unwelcome messages
Fiona Charles
EuroSTAR Webinar
February 11, 2014

2. The Vasa
I Think We Have an Issue 2

3. January 1625: King Gustavus II Adolphus signed a
contract for the design and construction of a warship
he intended to be the showpiece of the Swedish navy
400 men worked for more than 3 years to build the
ship – at huge cost; 1000+ oaks were felled…
August 1628: setting out on her maiden voyage with
much fanfare, the Vasa capsized and sank to the
bottom of Stockholm harbour, where she remained
until finally lifted in 1961
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4. We’ll never know who knew what (and when), and
whom they told during that 3-year project
About the top-heavy design of the Vasa
About the ongoing impacts of changing requirements in a
project with a fixed launch date
We do know that a standard stability test conducted
shortly before the launch had to be abandoned
because it was unsafe to continue
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5. Why was the unstable Vasa
launched on schedule?
Could it have been because nobody dared
deliver this unwelcome message to the
person(s) with authority to make the right
decision?
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6. Who dares tell the King…
President or Prime Minister
CEO
Executive Project Sponsor
Customer
?
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7. As project managers, testers (& test
leads), and consultants, we are paid to
tell the truth as we see it.
But what we see as evident fact can be
unwelcome news to the powerful
people who need to hear the message.
I Think We Have an Issue 7

8. Few managers want to hear news that:
A project is failing
The quality of a critical system
threatens a planned launch
Bad news like this can be threatening to
the recipient
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9. What
happens
when people
communicate
?
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10. Satir Interaction Model
intake
meaning
significance
response
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11. What the recipient actually takes in
intake
meaning
significance
response
Some things that can affect intake
•Message content and presentation
(words, message, body language)
•Relationship of speaker & recipient
(trust, roles, power…)
•Recipient’s communication
preferences (directness, level of
detail…)
•Cultural differences (e.g.,
communication styles, accent)
•Recipient’s state of mind
•Noise, external distractions
•etc.
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12. How the recipient interprets the intake
intake
meaning
significance
Many things can influence interpretation,
including the recipient’s past experiences
and hopes or plans for the future
•Information taken in
•Information recipient supplies to fill
gaps in the message
•Relationship & history with speaker
•Experience with analogous situations
•Recipient’s political agenda
•Upbringing, background, personality
•Prior knowledge, preconceptions,
assumptions
•etc.
response
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13. How the recipient feels about his/her
interpretation of the intake
intake
meaning
significance
response
Past experiences and current concerns can
influence the recipient’s feelings
•Relationship of speaker & recipient
(trust, roles, history, power…)
•Recipient’s state of mind, self-esteem
•Corporate, project, & personal
history and current situation
•Recipient’s political agenda
•Risks and opportunities posed by the
message: to the recipient and/or other
people or entities
•How the recipient feels about his/her
feelings
•etc.
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14. How the recipient responds
intake
meaning
significance
Some things that can influence a response
•Relationship of speaker & recipient
(trust, roles, history, power…)
•Presence or absence of other people
•Significance of the message to the
recipient (and feelings about those
feelings)
•Recipient’s communication preferences
•Recipient’s personal rules
•Recipient’s personal or political agenda
•etc.
response
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15. A meeting will consist of many such
interactions
You can’t control the other person’s
part
But by working to make your own part
go well, you can have a positive
influence on the whole interaction
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16. Prepare
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17. I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
Rudyard Kipling
The Elephant's Child
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18. What is the message?
Why do you want to deliver this message—or
feel you must?
Who should you talk to?
When and where should you have the
conversation?
How are you going to say it?
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19. People
(Why & Who)
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20. Your own motives and objectives
Why do you believe you should deliver this
message?
What good outcome do you want to enable?
What bad outcome do you want to prevent?
What are the risks to the organization or
project
If you don’t deliver this message?
If you do deliver the message?
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21. Your risks could include:
Credibility
Professional reputation
Position in the organization
Amour propre/confidence
What could you stand to lose from
delivering this message badly (or at all)?
Or from NOT delivering this message?
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22. Who is the right recipient for your
message?
Who is the decision-maker who really
needs to hear this?
Is that the person you should talk to?
Most likely to be receptive
Next person up the chain
Go directly to the top?
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23. What is this person’s relationship
to you?
In the hierarchy
Previous interactions and observations
Mutual trust and credibility
Power
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24. Things you know about this person that
could help you prepare for the meeting
Motivations
Expectations of others
Integrity
Political agenda, aspirations
Personality type
Listening style and attention span
Preferred level of detail
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25. What about the recipient’s risks?
How might this message be threatening to
this recipient?
What is the risk if he/she doesn’t get the
message?
I Think We Have an Issue 25

26. Setting
(Where &When)
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27. Choose a time and place to
optimize intake of your message
Scheduled meeting specifically for this
Quiet place
When you can be prepared
Not in a crowd, or in front of other
managers/peers
Minimize chances of embarrassing or
annoying the recipient
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28. Message
(What & How)
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29. What are you going to say?
Know the essence of your message before
you speak
How do you know you’re right?
Do you have a resolution/ approach to
propose?
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30. What background could make it hard
for the recipient to hear your
message?
Previous knowledge or understanding
of the situation
Conflicting information from other
trusted sources
What background could you leverage to
make your message more compelling?
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31. How will what’s already
known
or believed
influence what you say?
I Think We Have an Issue 31

32. Tailor the detail level to your
audience
Sit in a chair or stand at a whiteboard?
A busy executive may give you 5 minutes
Have substantiating material in your pocket
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33. “Center, enter, turn…”
Problem-solving, not blame
Stay calm and matter-of-fact
Watch your body language
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34. Stick to facts you can substantiate
Don’t offer opinions unless asked
If asked, either decline or be clear that you
are stating an opinion
Be clear about any assumptions
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35. Responses
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36. Watch the other person and
listen carefully
Choice of words
Tone, pitch and volume
Body language
Did you make your meaning clear?
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37. Engage in dialogue
Remember that it’s difficult for the other person,
too!
Bring out the positive in the interaction
Try to talk the other person’s language
Make sure you’re understood
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38. Stay in problem-solving mode
Avoid getting sidetracked into defensiveness or
blaming others
Ask, “Have I given you enough information?”
If you encounter anger or hostility, excuse
yourself and ask to resume later
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39. Follow up
Send follow-up email and request a response
Summarize conversation (& agreement, if
possible)
List action items
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40. Tips
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41. Risk assessment before you speak
Is this message important enough to outweigh the
risks to me?
Try to discern and understand the recipient’s
background and risks
Remember there’s an impact for him/her
What are the risks of not speaking?
To you?
To the other person?
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42. Don’t wait till it’s too late
Nobody likes ambush
Try not to surprise
Speak the recipient’s language
If it’s $€£, speak $€£
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43. Don’t put yourself at a disadvantage
Try not to get into a 2 on 1 situation
Level the playing field
Consider standing up to deliver
Use visual aids (whiteboard, etc.)
Easier for you to focus discussion & reiterate important
points
Harder to argue with
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44. Build/preserve/enhance the relationship
Don’t corner the other person
Try to put yourself in their position
Seek cooperation
Keep conflict healthy
It’s a professional discussion of a problematic
situation
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45. “Let me get back to you on that”
Table contentious items or those where
you need more backup
If the meeting becomes heated, get
yourself out
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46. Don’t accept responsibility that’s not yours
“How would you like me to handle this?”
Ask for guidance, not solutions
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47. Who might be an ally?
Think about the “back channels”
Prepare the ground with regular communication
“If there’s a problem, how would you like me to let you
know?”
In difficult situations, keep a log of significant
events, decisions, actions
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48. Know your limitations/restrictions/legal rights &
responsibilities
Whistle-blowers beware!
Ultimately, it’s not your decision
You’re here to share your professional judgement (and
sometimes to help put the decision where it belongs)
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49. Successful delivery of any message—
welcome or not
Your message has been heard and
understood
The recipient treats your message as
valuable information for appropriate
consideration
You retain or enhance your credibility
I Think We Have an Issue 49

50. Sources & Further
Readings
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51. Sources
Satir Interaction Model
Weinberg, Gerald M., Becoming a Technical Leader, ISBN 978-0-932633-02-6, Dorset
House, 1986. (also available as an eBook from www.geraldmweinberg.com)
Dale Emery, “Untangling Communication”.
http://dhemery.com/articles/untangling_communication/
Judy Bamberger, “The Satir Interaction Model”. http://sstconline.org/2006/pdfs/JB1365Notes.pdf
Don Gray: 2 Blog posts: “Debugging System Boundaries”, “Why Don’t You hear What I
Mean?”
http://donaldegray.com/debugging-system-boundaries-the-satir-interaction-model/
http://donaldegray.com/why-dont-you-hear-what-i-mean-the-satir-interaction-model/
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52. Suggestions for further reading
Communication
Karten, Naomi, Communication Gaps and How to Close Them. ISBN 0-932633-53-6, Dorset
House, 2002.
Isabel Briggs Myers, Peter B. Myers, Gifts Differing: Understanding personality type. DaviesBlack Publishing, 1980, 1995.
Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzer, Crucial Conversations: Tools for
Talking when the Stakes Are High, McGraw Hill eBooks, 2002.
Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters
Most, Penguin Books, Edition with a new preface and chapter, 2010.
Speaking Truth to Power
Norm Kerth, “Speaking Truth to Power: How to break bad news to those who can crush you.”
Better Software, November 2006. Available on www.stickyminds.com
Elisabeth Hendrickson, “The Politics of Testing: Making conflict count.” STP magazine, January
2010.
http://www.stpcollaborative.com/knowledge/545-the-politics-of-testing-making-conflict-count
I Think We Have an Issue 52

53. Fiona Charles
fiona.charles@quality-intelligence.com
www.quality-intelligence.com
Twitter: @FionaCCharles
Images and text ©Fiona Charles 2014