“There is no greater failure than to fail to escalate a responsibility you can not handle. Make sure people are productive, demand that they speak up when they can’t meet agreed upon deadlines. Such communication is essential to get in sync both on the case at hand and on what the person handling is like.”

– Ray Dalio, Principles

No matter the situation, if you’re working on a team or solo, it’s important to be transparent about what you can and can not handle.

There are so many examples of this principle not being followed, and the inevitable consequences.

To escalate a responsibility, that is above your capacity, is not a poor reflection on you, your abilities or capacity.

This is one of the best things you can do for you and your team.

Don’t limit escalating to escalators.