Being Radically Transparent About Project Risks (Atlassian Values)

Question

Tell me about a time you had to be radically transparent with a stakeholder about serious risks in your project — even when the news was unwelcome.

Atlassian value being assessed

"Open company, no bullshit" — Atlassian expects engineers to surface bad news early, honestly, and constructively, rather than hiding it until it becomes a crisis.

What they look for

• Did you surface the issue proactively or only when forced to?
• How did you frame the risk constructively (problem + options + recommendation)?
• How did the stakeholder react, and how did you handle pushback?
• What was the outcome?

Common follow-up

"What would you have done differently if the stakeholder reacted badly to your transparency?"