Great article, Mark. The devil is certainly in the unsaid, reminds me of a the study done on teams stronger on paper that don't communicate well still beaten by the teams who do communicate well! The ability to push back enough to discuss the hidden tradeoff is definitely an under-explored communication skill
That’s the heart of it. I believe strong teams aren’t defined by how well they absorb pressure, but by whether they can surface the hidden tradeoff before silence turns it into an operating decision.
The dangerous moment isn’t when leadership says “do both.” It’s when the room nods and the delivery team quietly decides which constraint will fail.
Which hidden tradeoff have we seen absorb the cost first: scope, timing, quality, capacity, or risk?
Great article, Mark. The devil is certainly in the unsaid, reminds me of a the study done on teams stronger on paper that don't communicate well still beaten by the teams who do communicate well! The ability to push back enough to discuss the hidden tradeoff is definitely an under-explored communication skill
Thanks!
That’s the heart of it. I believe strong teams aren’t defined by how well they absorb pressure, but by whether they can surface the hidden tradeoff before silence turns it into an operating decision.