MEPX
Chapter 8 of 10All chapters

Chapter 8 of 10

Communicating upward

Brief, honest, early.

Status and bad news

Report problems as soon as they are real, with what you have tried and what you need. Managers dislike surprises far more than problems.

  • Lead with the impact, then the detail.
  • Bring an option, even an imperfect one.

Being concise

Assume a senior reader gives you thirty seconds. Write the summary first and let the detail sit below for anyone who wants it.