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Escalate a vendor failure to your director in three labeled lines

  • For Managers and team leads
  • You practice Asking for a format you can use
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Beginner

About this exercise

Write an escalation note to your director in plain text with exactly three lines starting Situation:, Impact:, and Ask:. Each line is one sentence under 22 words. Impact must include the number of affected customers and the date they are affected. Ask is one specific decision you need, with the date you need it by. Do not name any individual employee.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Wrong labels. The AI writes a paragraph or uses other headings. Try: Say: "Exactly three lines starting Situation:, Impact:, Ask:."
  • Vague impact. The AI says "many orders". Try: Say: "Impact includes the number of orders and the date."
  • Vague ask. The AI asks the director to "help". Try: Say: "Ask is one specific decision with a deadline."
  • Naming an employee. The AI credits Jamal. Try: Say: "Do not name any individual employee."
  • Too long. The AI writes long sentences. Try: Say: "Each line one sentence under 22 words."
  • Markdown. The AI bolds labels. Try: Say: "Plain text."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part instead, for example: "each line under 15 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the three labels
  • Number and date in impact
  • Specific ask with deadline
  • Bans names
  • One sentence each

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