{"id":"mgr-x-keep-pause-handoff","audience":"managers","category":"decisions","track":"data","technique":"context","title":"Help an overloaded report decide what to drop","free":false,"task":"Priya told you she's overloaded, and you're replying with a clear plan. Write exactly 3 numbered lines labeled Keep:, Pause: and Hand off:, each naming her projects according to the team priorities in your notes, then one closing sentence, plain text, under 80 words. Base it on the stated priorities, not on what Priya enjoys most.","materialLabel":"Priya's message and your notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"Priya (Slack): I'm drowning. I have the vendor contract renewal, the Q2 forecast model, the warehouse safety audit, the new-hire training deck, and the intranet page refresh. I love the intranet project but I can't do it all. Help?\n\nMy notes - team priorities this quarter (set by the director, Jan 6):\n1. Vendor contract renewal - due Mar 15, $1.2M contract. Must stay with Priya, she has the relationships.\n2. Warehouse safety audit - legally required by Mar 31. Priya leads, but Tomas has done it before and can take it over fully.\n3. Q2 forecast model - due Apr 5. Priya built Q1's; must stay with her.\n4. New-hire training deck - nice to have, can pause until April.\n5. Intranet page refresh - lowest priority, pause until Q2.\n\nAlso: Tomas has capacity (said so in our 1:1 Monday). Hana is on leave until April, don't give her anything.\nI want Priya to know I'll tell the stakeholders myself.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"maxWords","max":80},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Asking 'how do I help her'","why":"The AI gives you management advice instead of a reply to Priya.","fix":"Be exact: \"Reply to Priya with 3 numbered lines labeled Keep:, Pause:, Hand off:.\"","checks":["numberedItems","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 instead: \"each line under 15 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Following her preferences","why":"The AI keeps the project she loves to be nice.","fix":"Add: \"Use the director's priority list, not what she enjoys.\"","checks":["r1","r0"]},{"title":"Handing off to the wrong person","why":"The AI picks anyone, including someone on leave.","fix":"Add: \"Hand off the safety audit to Tomas. Hana is on leave.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Leaving her to break the news","why":"The AI forgets who tells the stakeholders.","fix":"Add: \"End by saying I'll tell the stakeholders.\"","checks":["r2"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Shows the labels","patterns":["keep:?","pause:?","hand.?off:?"]},{"label":"Uses the priorities","patterns":["priorit","director","not what she (enjoys|likes|loves)"]},{"label":"Names the right person","patterns":["tomas","hana","on leave"]},{"label":"Says who tells stakeholders","patterns":["stakeholder","i'?ll tell"]},{"label":"Sets a word limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","word (limit|count)"]}],"hint":"Overloaded people need decisions, not sympathy alone. Give the AI the three labels, the priority list to follow, and who takes what.","rubricLabels":["Keep: vendor contract renewal and Q2 forecast model","Pause: new-hire training deck and intranet page refresh (even though Priya enjoys the intranet project); Hand off: warehouse safety audit to Tomas (not Hana)","The closing sentence says the manager will tell the stakeholders, and there is no intro paragraph or headings"]}