Quick answers
- How do you communicate risks?
- State the risk, impact, mitigation, and options. Be direct.
Key takeaways
- State the risk, impact, and mitigation.
- Raise early.
- Be direct.
- Suggest options.
Instead of → Say
| Instead of | Say |
|---|---|
| There might be a problem | Risk: we might slip the March 15 deadline. The blocker is [X]. We need [Y] by Friday to stay on track. |
| I'm worried | I'm flagging a risk: the migration scope has grown. I'd suggest we cut [non-critical item] or push the date. |
| It could be bad | If we don't get the design by Wednesday, we'll miss the sprint. I've escalated. Backup: we use the current design. |
Example dialogue
You: I'm flagging a risk. The compliance review is still pending. If we don't get it by Thursday, we'll miss the launch. I've chased legal. Should we have a backup plan?
Manager: What's the backup?
You: We could ship without the new flow and add it in a patch.
Common mistakes
- Burying risks.
- Being vague.
- Not suggesting next steps.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I raise a risk to my manager?
- State the risk, impact, what you've done, and options: 'Risk: [X]. Impact: [Y]. I've [done]. Options: [A] or [B].'
- When should I escalate a risk?
- When it affects timeline, quality, or scope and you can't resolve it yourself.
Related
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