Also manager. I feel like the manager's communication is off, though the end result is the same. All I need to ensure is that a) you are working on this HARD an

Also manager. I feel like the manager's communication is off, though the end result is the same. All I need to ensure is that a) you are working on this HARD and know to turn down other tasks (and possibly put in extra hours) and b) you will update me immediately if the timeline can't be met. Usually this request, though frequently very rare takes the form of "Issue $ISSUE is causing critical impacts on $IMPORTANT_THING, if we don't solve it by $TIME, it will cause $BAD_IMPACTS. Please make this your top priority and redirect questions about all other items to me. If you think this will not be done by $TIME, please let me know as soon as possible. I appreciate your hard work" Then you tell rest of the org: "$TEAM is working on $ISSUE and is re prioritizing other commitments. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out directly to me." If the developer turns around and says "this won't happen in time", that's a problem for the manager, not the developer in like 99% of situations. It's not "bad news", it's the truth, and you should always be able to tell the unfiltered truth (especially to your direct manager!) without any repercussions.