If you can’t answer that question without pointing the conversation to some part of you as the Development Manager of a release that is late then here is the message you are projecting.
- It’s not us, it’s them (despite being on the same team).
- We didn’t screw up, everyone else did.
- This is there problem, not ours.
- It’s out of my hands.
You might not want to be saying that, but you are. If you are part of a release, you have a hand in it. If you have a hand in it going well, you have a hand in it going wrong.
If you’re late, stand up to it, take the long walk and own it.
Those you are owning it to will respect you for it and are more likely to bring you into the sessions to get it back on track.
