Day 12: Ask to push out a project timeline

Project timelines slip all the time. But too often, risks stay hidden until it’s too late.
Smart professionals flag delays early and offer solutions.

𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 when you identify scope creep, technical complexity, or resource constraints that weren't initially anticipated.

When you surface timeline risks early, you're protecting stakeholder expectations and giving leadership time to make informed decisions.

𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁: "Based on what we've learned during development, I think we need to revisit our timeline for [project]. I've identified [specific risks/blockers] that will likely impact our original date. Can we discuss adjusting the timeline to [new date] or reducing scope to hit the original deadline?"

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀:
✔ Leads with protecting project success and quality
✔ Shows proactive risk management
✔ Demonstrates technical judgment
✔ Gives stakeholders options instead of surprises

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:
• Extended timeline with realistic estimates
• Reduced scope to meet original deadline
• Additional resources to maintain timeline
• Clear trade-offs for each option

𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲: You've built trust in your technical judgment and project management skills.

𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: Present the specific risks and their impact. Data beats optimism in these conversations.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: Stakeholders appreciate early visibility over last-minute surprises. It shows you're thinking strategically about delivery and sustainability.

𝗣𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗶𝗽: This positions you as someone who takes ownership of outcomes, not just tasks. Leadership notices when you protect project success proactively.
Early escalation is leadership in action - you're managing up to ensure better business outcomes.

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✅ Want to get even better at asking? I still have a limited number of seats left in the July 25 cohort of my course. Last cohort of this year! https://maven.com/chaitali-narla/outstanding-tech-career