When to escalate and what to do before you escalate

Employees Have Three Reasons to Escalate Problems to Their Managers

1. they’re lazy (bad)
2. they have tried unsuccessfully to fix the problem (OK)
3. they want to make sure their managers know about it (OK)

Employees Must Do the Necessary Groundwork before Bringing a Problem to Their Managers

1. explain why escalation is necessary
2. show what possible solutions you’ve explored, and how you’ve tried to move the problem along as far as possible

The Manager Can then Ask

“What needs to be done and how can I help?”