{"id":"lead-cancelled-project-team-talk-track","audience":"managers","category":"leadership-work","track":"leadership","level":"intermediate","technique":"tone","title":"Write a talk track for telling your team a project is cancelled","free":false,"task":"Write a talk track you will read aloud to your team, in plain text, under 150 words, with three labeled parts on their own lines: Say first:, Why:, What happens next:. Use only the confirmed facts. Do not mention layoffs or any rumor, and do not promise anyone a specific new role. Use short spoken sentences with no jargon.","materialLabel":"Your notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Project Atlas cancellation, notes for my team talk\n\nConfirmed:\n- The steering committee cancelled Atlas on Tue Jun 3.\n- Reason: the company cut this year's project budget by 12 percent and Atlas ranked lowest on expected revenue.\n- Work stops Friday Jun 6. Code and docs get archived by Jun 13.\n- I will hold 1:1s with each person Jun 10-12.\n- New assignments will be shared by Jun 20.\n\nNot confirmed:\n- A rumor that Platform team is also being trimmed.\n- My guess that most of us will move to the Billing project.\n\nTeam morale is low; two people have been working weekends on Atlas.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":150},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Repeating the rumor","why":"The AI reassures people with the Billing guess.","fix":"Say: \"Use only confirmed facts; no rumors and no promises of roles.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"No dates","why":"The AI says \"soon\".","fix":"Say: \"Include work stopping Jun 6, 1:1s Jun 10-12 and assignments by Jun 20.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Wrong structure","why":"The AI writes one long speech.","fix":"Say: \"Three labeled parts: Say first:, Why:, What happens next:.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Corporate tone","why":"The AI uses jargon like realigning priorities.","fix":"Say: \"Short spoken sentences, no jargon.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Markdown","why":"The AI bolds the labels.","fix":"Say: \"Plain text.\"","checks":["plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it.","fix":"Cap each part instead, for example: \"each line under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Gives the three labels","patterns":["say first","why:","what happens next"]},{"label":"Restricts to confirmed facts","patterns":["confirmed","only the facts"]},{"label":"Bans rumors and promises","patterns":["rumor","layoff","promise"]},{"label":"Spoken style","patterns":["spoken","read aloud","short sentences"]},{"label":"Plain text","patterns":["plain text"]}],"hint":"Name the three parts, limit it to confirmed facts and say what to leave out.","rubricLabels":["Has the three labels Say first:, Why: and What happens next: on their own lines in that order","Why cites the 12 percent budget cut and Atlas ranking lowest on expected revenue; the next steps include work stopping Jun 6, 1:1s Jun 10-12 and assignments by Jun 20","Does not mention layoffs, trimming of the Platform team or moving to Billing, and thanks the team's effort on Atlas"]}