{"id":"lead-escalate-to-boss-three-options-email","audience":"managers","category":"leadership-work","track":"leadership","level":"intermediate","technique":"constraints","title":"Escalate a staffing gap to your director with three options","free":false,"task":"Write an email escalating a staffing gap to your director, Neha. Plain text, subject first, under 140 words. Structure: one sentence naming the problem and impact with a number; Option 1, Option 2, Option 3 on their own lines each with cost and effect; a line starting \"I recommend\" naming one option; a final line: I need your decision by Thursday Nov 14. Use only the notes and do not blame anyone.","materialLabel":"Your notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Problem: Two of our five claims processors resigned (last days Nov 8 and Nov 15). Backlog now 310 claims; normal is 120. Average processing time has risen from 3 days to 6 days.\n\nOptions\n1. Do nothing: backlog could reach 500 by Dec 1 (my estimate).\n2. Use 2 temp processors from an agency: $3,800 per person per month; 2 months = $15,200; starts Nov 25 after training.\n3. Pause the new-product intake work for 3 weeks and move 1 processor to claims: cost $0 but the intake project slips from Dec 15 to Jan 6.\n\nMy preference: option 3. (Don't blame the managers who left, or HR.) Neha dislikes long emails.\nThe first email said the backlog was 280; it is 310 now.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":140},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Old backlog","why":"The AI uses 280.","fix":"Say: \"Backlog is 310 now.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Missing costs","why":"The AI says 'cheaper' without numbers.","fix":"Say: \"Give cost and effect for each option.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Blaming","why":"The AI blames HR for slow hiring.","fix":"Say: \"Don't blame anyone.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"No recommendation","why":"The AI lists options only.","fix":"Say: \"A line starting I recommend and one option.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Markdown","why":"The AI bolds options.","fix":"Say: \"Plain text.\"","checks":["plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it.","fix":"Cap each line: \"each line under 25 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it.","fix":"Cap each part instead, for example: \"each line under 12 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Subject","patterns":["subject"]},{"label":"Options","patterns":["option 1","option 2","option 3"]},{"label":"Recommend","patterns":["i recommend"]},{"label":"Final line","patterns":["i need your decision by","exactly"]},{"label":"No blame","patterns":["don'?t blame","no blame"]}],"hint":"Give the structure line by line, the exact final line, and the no-blame rule.","rubricLabels":["After the Subject line the first sentence states two of five claims processors resigned and the backlog is 310 claims (not 280) against a normal 120","Options 1-3 are on separate lines with costs and effects (backlog possibly 500 by Dec 1; $15,200 with start Nov 25; $0 with the intake project slipping from Dec 15 to Jan 6)","A line starts with \"I recommend\" naming Option 3, the final line is exactly \"I need your decision by Thursday Nov 14\", and nobody is blamed"]}