Not Always Good News-‘The Elephant in the Room’

Information sharing is the lifeblood of project management. Like air, you can’t always see it, but you can’t survive without it. More importantly, it’s the cornerstone of building trust with the customer.

When everything is going smoothly and good news flows, communication is easy—everyone’s a communication expert. But the true test comes when things go wrong: unexpected technical issues, incorrect deliveries, or delays to critical milestones. Suddenly, everyone goes quiet. And it’s the project manager who has to stand up and face the storm.

It may feel unfair, but this is exactly what the role demands.

So, how do we deal with it?Let’s start with the core of communication: building trust.

Should I Tell the Customer?

A better question might be:

“Do I want to build a trusted relationship with the customer?”

Trust is fragile. It doesn’t appear out of nowhere (unless you're family). It’s difficult to build and incredibly easy to destroy.

At the start of a project, trust may exist at the organizational level—based on brand reputation, industry credibility, or contractual expectations. But this is not the same as trust in you, the project manager.

When the project begins, you might be sitting across from a skeptical customer, one who's silently thinking, "Can this person really manage this?" You spend hours polishing your first meeting notes, hoping to appear capable and credible. Through early wins and proactive updates, you slowly earn their trust.

And then—a mistake, a gap, a failure—something you missed earlier has caused a delay. The release date has to shift. And it's Monday—the day of your regular customer call.

Now you must decide:Do I tell them? If yes, how?

The Elephant in the Room

If this situation has occurred, it likely means that something in your previous communication has failed. The customer's expectations didn’t align with the risks that were actually present.

This brings us to an important shift in mindset:

Stop labeling news as “good” or “bad”. Start thinking in terms of transparency and trust.

Every piece of information should serve two purposes:

1. To move the project forward

2. To strengthen mutual trust

People naturally distrust overly positive messaging. Imagine walking into a car dealership and hearing only praise for a vehicle. If the salesperson ignores known weaknesses, you’re likely to grow suspicious—even if the car is genuinely good.

The same principle applies in project work. A one-sided narrative raises red flags. But expressing balanced, authentic concern makes you credible.

The Nature of Trust

When you openly share what you're worried about—and what you're doing about it—it reassures your customer that you are actively managing risk.

“We’re keeping a close eye on X. There’s a potential delay, and we’re already doing Y to address it.”

This is far more effective than saying:

“Everything’s fine”…until it clearly isn’t.

Whether the information is positive or negative, what matters most is that it's transparent and timely. That is what earns trust.

Practical Tips for Handling Bad News

Here are some field-tested tips I’ve learned over time:

• Not all bad news is equal. It usually falls into three categories:

  • Must be shared immediately

  • Can be shared later

  • Confidential and must not be disclosed

• Accuracy is key. Confirm facts before communicating. Deliver the message yourself to avoid misunderstandings.

• Information needs constant updating. Once you've shared something with the customer, follow up with the latest developments—even if nothing has changed.

• Proactive beats reactive. If you think the customer is about to ask you for an update—it’s already too late.

• First-time issues must be addressed. Whether raised by you or the customer, be transparent and don't avoid tough topics.

• You may delay, but never lie.If the issue is under internal discussion, say so honestly. But don't fabricate a narrative. Once broken, trust is hard to rebuild.

Final Thought

In project management, communication is more than just information sharing—it’s trust-building. And ironically, it’s during the tough conversations that you have the best chance to prove you're worth trusting.

So, don’t fear the bad news. Use it to show your honesty, your professionalism, and your leadership.

That’s what makes a real project manager.