Teamwork - Do you manage up? (Give a recommendation)
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Managing up is providing your manager with an active request or an option to approve, rather than asking a general question.
Video: Want to Be a Better Consultant? Master the Art of Managing Up | Adam Cogan | SSW TV (3 min)
Figure: Hard decision - This guy needs to state why he recommends this option
What do you want to charge for David's rate?
❌ Figure: Bad example - Nothing to approve
What do you want to charge for David's rate?
I would advise the standard $165 + GST until he has more experience.
- Please approve
✅ Figure: Good example - Approval request in form of a task
Note: If it involves technical solution, please provide the steps you are going to follow.
Multiple options
When you are giving someone multiple options you should:
- Generally, limit the number of options to 3 to avoid "option overload" (more on Choice Overload and The Burden of Choice)
- Recommend one and state why
- Enumerate the options (E.g. Option A or Option 1)
We want to integrate our database with our website so that customers can purchase online.
- Please let me know which option you would like to proceed with, otherwise let me know if you have any questions
Option A (Recommended) - Customize a ready-made solution - We are able to get rid of redundant features and change it to meet our requirements. It is cheaper than building a new solution from scratch.
Option B - Buy a ready-made solution - The ready-made solution is cheap but it does not have everything that we need and has unnecessary features.
Option C - Build a new solution using a third party company - It will be expensive and it will take a long time.
✅ Figure: Good example - Multiple options with reasons and a recommendation
Note: When presenting choices, it is important to avoid using the term "version" as it pertains to specific iterations or editions. Always use "options" which refer to selectable variations or customizable features.
Be proactive when you are CC'd on an email
Sometimes you are CC'd on an important email because you are the Subject Matter Expert (SME).
If you know that the primary recipient is likely to ask for your opinion, don't wait for them to come to you: manage up by proactively reviewing the email and preparing a recommended response.
If the email includes external recipients, remove them before discussing the response internally. Then draft a reply for your manager or colleague to review.
This saves a round of communication and makes it easier for them to take action.
✅ Figure: Good example - Remove everyone, then draft a reply with a recommendation for your manager
Get AI to help you manage up
Before you send a question to your manager, ask AI to turn it into a recommendation. The AI writes the first draft, then you check it and send it.
AI Prompt 🤖: I need to ask my manager what rate to charge for David. Turn this into a recommendation my manager can approve by following SSW Rule on managing up. End with "Please approve".
✅ Figure: Good example - A prompt that turns a question into a recommendation
When you are CC'd as the expert, ask Copilot in Outlook or your AI assistant to draft the reply. Then send the draft to your manager to review.
Note: Check every fact and number before you send. The recommendation is yours, not the AI's.