April 1st

This morning we had our team daily meeting at 9:15 as usual. I first apologized to everyone for the lack of energy I displayed yesterday due to lack of sleep. I then told them that I was able to get a hold of our U.S. customer last night to follow up on some issues that we needed feedback. "There are major changes to the current release scope," I then announced. "Since the Abu Dhabi features are so crucial, we are going to defer the two biggest features that we are working on to the next release."

The whole team just exploded. "Not again!" "How can they do this?!" "All the effort we've put in!"

I turned around and wrote on the white board: APRIL FOOL'S DAY

They didn't stop shouting, but now it was like, "I cannot believe that we fell for it." "Just this morning I was thinking today is April Fool's Day, but I still thought you were for real."

I was having a good time - I am sure they were too - until someone said, "Jim, we are not going to believe anything that you say from now on."

Just today, please? Just today.