Someone on your team asks, “I have two things due on Friday, but I do not have enough time to finish both. Which should I do first?” They forward the original messages and wait for your answer. You still need to know which deliverable will be used first, what can wait and what would happen if a deadline moved.
Ask them to prepare a brief recommendation. The structure below is a practical suggestion for everyday, low-risk decisions. Adjust the detail to the person's experience and the consequences of the decision.
1. What do you recommend?
Start with the proposed action. “There is too much work” describes the situation. “I recommend finishing the report first and moving the guide update to Monday” gives you a specific option to discuss.
Before asking for that recommendation, share what you already know: priorities, commitments and constraints. If you are the only one who knows about an important deadline, the person is missing information they need to prepare a sound proposal.
2. What information supports it?
Ask for the facts that affect the choice. In this example: who needs each deliverable, when they will use it and what work remains. Separate confirmed information from assumptions.
A useful explanation might be: “The report is needed for Friday's meeting. The guide will be used on Tuesday, but I have not confirmed whether the person who requested it can accept delivery on Monday.” The uncertainty is visible before you approve a change.
3. What other option did you consider?
You do not need to demand three alternatives for every issue. Ask for the comparison that could actually change the decision: what each option makes possible and what it delays.
In this example, the person might explain: “If I finish the guide first, the report will arrive after the meeting. If I prepare the report first, the guide can still be ready before it is used, provided the deadline change is agreed.”
Avoid turning the exercise into a guessing game about your preferred answer. If you choose a different option, explain which fact or priority led you to it.
4. What do you need me to decide, and by when?
End with a specific request. The person may need approval, missing information or help resolving competing priorities across two teams. Clarifying that request helps you respond to the right problem.
Also agree on what they can do while waiting and which changes require permission. Presenting a recommendation does not authorize a deadline change or a commitment on someone else's behalf.
What the full message could look like
This is a hypothetical example. The tasks and dates do not come from a client.
“I recommend finishing the report for Friday's meeting and delivering the guide on Monday.
Both were requested for Friday. The report will be used that day and the guide on Tuesday. I still need to confirm that the person who requested the guide can accept it on Monday.
If I finish the guide first, the report will not be ready for Friday's meeting. I recommend prioritizing the report.
Do you approve that order and agree that I should ask the requester about moving the guide's deadline? I need to confirm this by 3 p.m. today. I will not change the agreed deadline without their approval.”
When you respond, confirm the decision, who will take each step and what is still unresolved. If information is missing, ask for the specific fact rather than returning the whole proposal with “take another look.”
Keep it easy to ask for help
“Bring a recommendation” should never become a condition for raising a problem. If there is an urgent issue, a risk or a situation the person cannot assess, ask them to flag it immediately, even if they do not have a solution yet.
Help someone new prepare their first recommendation. With an experienced team member, agree on the information you need and the decisions they own. Do not add your approval to matters they are already authorized to handle.
Try it with the next decision
Choose an everyday issue. Ask for a recommendation that answers these four questions. Afterward, review which information helped, what was missing and what you can leave out next time.
What would your team's next proposal need to include for you to give a clear answer?
Reference: the decision analysis section of NASA's Systems Engineering Handbook covers criteria, alternatives, assumptions and uncertainty when preparing recommendations. It is a technical reference. This article's questions and example are our own editorial adaptation for discussing everyday work, without a promise of results.
Educational leadership content. Share only appropriate information and keep agreements in an authorized location. This article does not replace your organization's procedures or approval requirements.