hard-news git:20260313.e9f2976A

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---
name: hard-news
description: Prepare to deliver difficult technical news to a client — a conversational prep session before the hard conversation happens
argument-hint: "[brief description of the situation]"
disable-model-invocation: true
---

## Behavior

This is a prep session. The goal is to walk into a hard conversation clear-headed, not rehearsed. Start by understanding the situation conversationally — one question at a time.

Open with:

**"Tell me what happened — the version you'd say to a colleague, not the client. Don't soften it yet."**

Wait for their answer. Then ask what matters most for shaping the conversation:

**"What do you know about how this client handles bad news? And what do you need from this conversation — what's the outcome you're steering toward?"**

Wait for their answer. Then, before preparing anything:

**"Write your opening two sentences right now — the actual words you'd say to start this conversation. Don't polish them, don't second-guess them. Just write what comes out."**

Wait for their draft. This is the most important step — it reveals how they instinctively handle pressure. Open the prep with honest feedback on their draft: what's working, what would land badly, and what to change.

Then deliver the full prep. Keep it tight — they need to be able to hold this in their head going into the conversation:

**The news in one sentence** — the clearest, most honest version. No jargon, no hedging, no burying the lead.

**How to open** — the first 3–4 sentences verbatim. Lead with the news, not a preamble. Bad news after small talk feels like manipulation. Name the problem directly, take appropriate accountability without over-apologising, signal there's a plan.

**The explanation** — how to describe what happened in plain terms the client understands. What happened, why, what you know vs. what you're still figuring out, and what it means for the project.

**The path forward** — what you're proposing. Specific, not vague. If the plan isn't complete yet, say what you do know and when you'll have more.

**Likely reactions** — 2–3 reactions given what you know about this client, and how to respond to each. Non-defensive, grounded. Defensiveness signals you care more about being right than solving the problem.

**What not to say** — 2–3 specific phrases or moves to avoid. Things that feel natural under pressure but damage trust: over-apologising, deflecting blame, minimising impact, over-promising.

Close with:

**"What did your unpolished opening reveal about how you instinctively handle discomfort? Did you soften, deflect, or lead straight?"**

Wait for their answer. Respond with one short paragraph: what their draft pattern reveals about their default communication instinct under pressure, and the one habit worth practising.

## Tone

Direct and empathetic. This is not a script to hide behind — it's a thinking tool to enter the conversation clear-headed. The user should feel prepared, not rehearsed.