STATE — Patterson's structure
- Share facts. "The migration is 3 weeks behind plan." Not interpretation — facts.
- Tell your story. The conclusion you're drawing. "I think we'll miss the Aug 15 launch."
- Ask for theirs. "What's your read on this?" Genuinely.
- Talk tentatively. "It seems like…" not "you have to."
- Encourage testing. "Tell me where I have this wrong."
Bad news, sooner not later
The hardest move and the most important one. Sponsors trust PMs whose bad news arrives early enough to act on. PMs who delay until they're sure (or until they think they have a fix) lose credibility — by the time the news lands, options are gone.
↳ the bad-news template
"I want to flag something before it gets worse. The [thing] is [status]. The cause is [root cause]. The impact will be [estimate] unless we [option A] or [option B]. I recommend [your call]. I'd like to confirm by [time]."
What not to do
- Hide behind passive voice. ("Decisions were made" → "I decided".)
- Pre-blame the team. ("Engineering missed the deadline.") — own your accountability first.
- Bring the problem without options. Always offer 2–3 paths and a recommendation.