Your manager says “be more strategic.” Ask for the decision behind the feedback

Start with one recent example

Try: “Could we look at a recent piece of my work where you wanted something different? What decision did you need me to help with?” This asks for a usable example without requiring you to accept an undefined criticism.

Listen for the gap between what you provided and what was needed. Were you asked to compare options but only describe progress? Did you identify a risk without explaining its effect? Was your recommendation sound, but late for the decision? These are possibilities to investigate, not a translation key for every manager.

If the answer is still abstract, offer a hypothesis: “In the supplier review, did you want a recommendation about which deadline we could protect, rather than a list of delays?” Let the manager correct it. A shared example is more useful than agreeing to become vaguely more impressive.

Build a recommendation, not a bigger report

For one upcoming decision, cover five things in a short recommendation: the decision needed, your recommendation, the evidence, the main trade-off, and what you need from the decision-maker. This is CareerFood’s suggested working format, not a validated performance test.

Here is a fictional example. A project coordinator is reporting that two launch tasks are late. The usual update says: “Design is three days behind and supplier checks are not finished.” It describes a problem, but leaves the choice unstated.

A decision-oriented version might say: “We need to choose whether to keep the full launch scope or protect the agreed date. I recommend postponing the optional demonstration, because the remaining supplier checks are needed before release. The trade-off is a smaller first event. Please confirm the scope change today; if the supplier clears the checks sooner, we can reconsider.”

This is not automatically the correct recommendation. Its value is that the decision, reasoning and uncertainty can be challenged. The same structure works for a small scheduling choice; it does not require a senior title or a slide deck.

Make the limits of your role explicit

Ask: “Which decisions should I make myself, which should I recommend, and which should I escalate?” Taking responsibility does not mean quietly assuming authority over budgets, colleagues or commitments you do not control.

Also ask what information you should have. If you are expected to prioritise against a business objective that has never been shared with you, the missing input matters. “I can compare these options, but I need to know whether delivery date or coverage matters more this quarter” is a specific request, not an excuse.

When the new expectation adds work, discuss what becomes lower priority. A feedback conversation should not silently turn into an agreement to keep every existing task and take on another role.

Agree what you will try and when you will review it

Choose one piece of work, the change you will make and a review point. For example: “For the next supplier review, I’ll bring two options and a recommendation. Can we spend ten minutes afterwards discussing whether that helped the decision?” The timing is an example, not a universal schedule.

Acas advises that performance objectives should fit the person’s responsibilities and workload, and that review discussions should be recorded. Its guidance is written for a UK employment context; the practical point here is to make the expectation and support discussable, not to claim a legal rule for every reader. ^[1]

Send a brief recap of what you understood and invite corrections. At the follow-up, ask which part helped and what still needs changing. Do not judge the experiment solely by whether your preferred option won; a useful recommendation can lead to a different, better-informed choice.

Make the recommendation usable when information is incomplete

In the fictional launch example, the coordinator may not know whether the supplier will finish its checks tomorrow or next week. Hiding that uncertainty would make the recommendation look stronger while making the decision less reliable. Instead, name the assumption: “This recommendation assumes the checks will not finish before Thursday. I will confirm the supplier's estimate tomorrow.” Then explain what would change the recommendation.

Separate evidence from preference. “The room is booked for Friday” is a fact to verify. “A smaller event would be easier to manage” is a judgement. “Customers will prefer a smaller event” is a claim that needs support. Putting those statements in different categories helps the manager see what is known, what is inferred and what still needs checking.

You do not need to research every possible scenario before speaking. Focus on the uncertainty that could reverse the decision. If the key question is whether a required check will finish, another ten slides about the event's benefits will not answer it. Ask the supplier for the missing information, show the available options and make clear when a decision becomes necessary.

Use a short decision note for the next piece of work

Try five sentence starters: “We need to decide…” “I recommend…” “The strongest evidence is…” “The main cost or uncertainty is…” “I need your decision or input by…” Complete them with one actual issue you are authorised to discuss. This is a writing exercise, not an instruction to take over someone else's decision.

At the follow-up, compare the note with what the manager actually needed. Perhaps the options were useful but the deadline was unclear. Perhaps the recommendation arrived after a commitment had already been made. Perhaps the manager wanted a cost comparison you could not prepare without access to figures. Each result suggests a different improvement; “be more strategic” no longer has to remain one vague judgement.

Keep the experiment proportionate. If preparing a routine update now takes half a day, ask whether the extra analysis is valuable enough to justify that effort. Better judgement should improve the work, not create a performance ritual that consumes the time needed to do it.

If the standard keeps moving

Keep factual notes of the examples, expectations and follow-ups. If no one can describe what meeting the standard would look like, a more polished presentation may not solve the problem. Consider asking an appropriate mentor, manager or employee-support contact to help clarify the process. Use a route that feels safe in your organisation.

Your next move is one question, not a new personality: “Which upcoming decision would you like my work to make easier?” Then agree one observable change. This can clarify expectations; it cannot guarantee a fair evaluation or a promotion.