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Tell your team their 8-month project is cancelled before the all-hands

  • For Managers and team leads
  • You practice Getting the tone right
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Advanced

About this exercise

Leadership cancelled Project Harbor, and you must tell your team in writing today, before tomorrow's all-hands rumor mill starts. Write the message from you, Jordan, as plain text under 200 words. The first sentence must say plainly that Harbor is cancelled, before any thanks or background. Then give the reasons leadership approved sharing (Northgate, the 3 of 40 accounts, Beacon), credit the work with specifics, say what happens to everyone and when, and invite questions with a specific way to reach you. Do not mention the budget cut, any dollar figure, or a possible reorganization. No corporate spin such as "difficult decision", "exciting new chapter", "pivot" or "realign". The last line before your signature must be exactly: You do not have to reply today. Sign it "Jordan".

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Burying the news. The AI opens with warm thanks and a long background, so the team has to read three paragraphs to learn the project is dead. Try: Say: "The first sentence says plainly that Harbor is cancelled."
  • Corporate spin. The AI reaches for "difficult decision", "exciting new chapter" and "pivot", which a hurt team hears as dishonest. Try: Add: "No corporate spin. Do not use difficult decision, exciting, pivot or realign."
  • Vague or missing next steps. The AI says "we will share more soon" instead of the real facts: roles are safe and Beacon starts Nov 23. Try: Add: "Say everyone keeps their role and that Beacon starts Mon Nov 23, plus the approved reasons, and end with the line: You do not have to reply today."
  • Generic praise, leaked secrets. "Great work, team" means nothing, and the AI uses every fact in the notes, including the budget cut and the reorg talk. Try: Add: "Credit specific work from the notes. Leave out the budget figures and the reorganization."
  • Too long and formatted. AI writes a long email with bold headings and bullets, when a hurt team needs a short plain note. Try: Say: "Plain text, under 150 words, no bullets or bold."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Says the hard thing first
  • Bans spin and euphemism
  • Credits specific work
  • Says what happens next and when
  • Leaves out confidential items
  • Ends with an exact closing line

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