A single phrase in how product managers communicate release dates determines whether stakeholders hear an estimate or a commitment. The distinction is subtle enough that most PMs do not catch it until trust has already taken a hit.

Adam Race, Head of Product at ITV, shares the phrasing shift that changed how he communicates every timeline. He explains why the default language creates an invisible promise, and how confidence levels give stakeholders a productive way to hear uncertainty. Adam has spent more than a decade in product leadership across ITV, DAZN, and Chelsea FC, managing releases where engineering, editorial, and commercial teams all depend on the same dates.

This episode is one of a handful available outside the membership. The rest of the How I PM series is available inside The Product Way.

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