Guides › Managing a Team
Turn your findings into recommendations managers approve
A clear recommendations paper with the problem, the evidence, what to change, the cost and a phased plan to make it happen.
When to use it
At the end of a review or study
Step by step
Pull together your evidence
Gather your key findings, figures and the option you've chosen. Remove names and replace them with roles.
Draft the paper
Paste your material into your AI assistant with this prompt.
Prompt to copyWrite a recommendations paper for [audience, e.g. the operations director] based on my findings below. Structure: 1) Summary in 3 sentences: the problem, what we recommend, the expected benefit, 2) What we found, with the evidence for each point, 3) Recommendations, numbered, each with owner, cost, benefit and priority, 4) Implementation plan in phases with rough timings, 5) Risks and how we'll manage them, 6) What we need the reader to decide today. Plain, confident language. Don't add figures I haven't given. [paste findings]Check the tone
Ask 'Which parts might make a team feel blamed?' and soften them, since the people affected may read it.
Finish in Word or Docs
Paste it into your report template, add charts and your process map, and send it with a short covering note.
What you get
Summary: Orders take 4 days to process because details are re-typed three times. We recommend a single order form linked to stock. Benefit: about 1.5 days saved per order. Decision needed today: approve a 6-week pilot in the Leeds team.
Tips
- Lead with the decision you need, not the history of the project.