The prompt
Score 10 of 10, Excellent
Use it when Something your manager does is making your work harder, and you want to raise it clearly and respectfully in your next 1:1.
- {{manager_role}}
- {{examples}}
- {{impact}}
- {{request}}
- {{relationship}}
- {{concerns}}
Full prompt and why it works
Prompt
Help me prepare to give feedback to my manager, {{manager_role}}, in our next 1:1, so that they understand the effect of what they are doing and we agree on a change, while keeping a good working relationship. What they do, with specific recent examples: """ {{examples}} """ How it affects my work or the team: {{impact}} What I would like instead: {{request}} Our relationship and how they usually take feedback: {{relationship}} Anything I am worried about in raising it: {{concerns}} Produce, with a heading for each part: 1. An opening line that asks if now is a good time and names the topic, under 30 words. 2. The feedback in three to five sentences, using situation, behavior and impact: one specific example, what they did, the effect on my work, and what I am asking for. 3. Responses to three ways they might react, such as getting defensive, agreeing quickly without changing anything, or explaining a reason I did not know about, each with what I could say. 4. A close that agrees on one next step and when we will check how it is going. It should sound like me talking to someone I respect: direct, calm and about the work. For example, the feedback could take this form: "In Tuesday's review, the plan changed after we had started building, and we lost two days redoing the estimates. Could we agree that changes after kickoff come with a short note on why?" This shows the form only. Do not describe their personality or motives, such as saying they do not trust me, and avoid words like always and never, because they turn one example into an accusation. Keep to one issue; if my examples cover several, pick the one with the clearest examples, say why, and ask me if I would rather raise a different one. If my examples are vague, tell me what detail would make them specific enough to raise. If what I describe sounds like harassment, discrimination or a safety issue, say that it belongs with HR or the proper reporting channel rather than in a 1:1.
Variables
- {{manager_role}}
- Who your manager is, for example "the head of engineering".
- {{examples}}
- Specific, recent examples of what they do, with dates if you have them.
- {{impact}}
- What it costs you or the team, for example "two days of rework each time".
- {{request}}
- What you would like them to do instead.
- {{relationship}}
- How you get on and how they usually take feedback, for example "good, but they get defensive about planning".
- {{concerns}}
- What worries you about raising it, or "none".
Why it works
- What good looks like. Situation, behavior and impact with one real example keeps the feedback about the work, which is what lets a manager hear it without defending themselves.
- Length. One issue per conversation, because several complaints at once turn feedback into a list of grievances.
- If unsure. Anything that sounds like harassment, discrimination or a safety issue is pointed to HR instead of being scripted for a 1:1.