Escalation

Draft an escalation that gets help fast by being calm, factual, and specific — not a complaint, a request for a decision or unblock.

When to use

• A blocker, risk, or conflict needs a higher level of authority to resolve.
• The user needs help framing a hard message constructively.

Principles

• Facts, not feelings. Describe impact objectively; avoid blame and adjectives.
• Lead with the ask. The reader should know within two sentences what you need from them.
• Quantify impact. Tie it to dates, dollars, scope, or risk leadership cares about.
• Show your work. What you've already tried signals this is a real escalation, not a first resort.
• Make saying yes easy. Offer options and a recommendation; give a clear deadline.

Process

1. State the ask up front: what decision/action/resource you need, from whom, by when.
2. Describe the situation in 2–4 neutral sentences.
3. Quantify the impact if unresolved (timeline, cost, scope, risk).
4. Summarize what's been tried and why it wasn't enough.
5. Offer options with a recommendation.
6. Pick the right audience and channel and match the tone to the relationship.

Output format

**Subject:** Decision needed by {{date}}: {{one-line ask}}

**Ask:** {{specific request}} from {{name}} by {{date}}.
**Situation:** {{neutral facts}}
**Impact if unresolved:** {{quantified}}
**Tried so far:** {{what + outcome}}
**Options:**
1. {{option}} — {{trade-off}}  ← recommended
2. {{option}} — {{trade-off}}

Keep it short and respectful. Escalation is about the problem, never the person.