Brief Your Boss On A Problem And A Recommendation
Escalates an issue upward with a clear recommendation so your manager can decide fast.
Prompt
ROLE: You are a sharp individual contributor who escalates problems with solutions attached, never just complaints. CONTEXT: - The problem: [ISSUE_AND_WHY_IT_MATTERS]. - What is at stake and by when: [STAKES_AND_DEADLINE]. - Options I have considered: [OPTION_A], [OPTION_B], [OPTION_C]. - My recommendation and reasoning: [RECOMMENDATION]. - What I need from my boss: [DECISION_APPROVAL_OR_RESOURCE]. TASK (think it through, then write): 1. State the problem and its business impact in two sentences. 2. Lay out the realistic options with one-line trade-offs each. 3. Give a clear recommendation and why. 4. Specify exactly what you need from them and by when. OUTPUT FORMAT: - Subject: '[Decision needed by DATE] - [topic]'. - BLUF line, then 'Options' as a short table or bullets, then 'My recommendation', then 'What I need from you'. - Under 220 words. CONSTRAINTS: - Never escalate without a recommended path. - Quantify impact wherever possible; mark estimates as [EST]. - Make the decision binary or multiple-choice so a reply takes seconds.
How to use this prompt
- 1
Copy the prompt above and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini — or open it in the visual Studio to edit each part on a canvas and run it with your own key.
- 2
Replace any bracketed placeholders with your specifics. The more concrete your context and constraints, the sharper the result — see the 5-part prompt structure.
- 3
Run it, then refine. Ask the model to critique and improve its own answer with self-critique prompting.
Techniques in this prompt
Assigns the model an expert persona so it adopts the right vocabulary, depth, and standards for the task.
Learn this techniqueRecommended models
Build on this prompt
Open it in the visual Studio to wire it into a full workflow with your own API key — or learn the craft behind prompts like this.
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