For managers with a hard call this week

A manager in your corner. In writing.

Message me whenever something comes up: the report who keeps missing deadlines, the peer building in your lane, the pushback you owe your boss. No calls, no scheduling, no camera. Within a day you get what I'd do and the exact words to say.

Start 7 days freethen $149/month · cancel anytime

How it works

  1. Step 1You message meWhatever is on your plate, whenever it comes up. A few lines is enough; paste the email or the Slack thread if it helps.
  2. Step 2I reply within a dayWhat I'd do, why, and the exact words for the conversation, in writing so you can reread it right before.
  3. Step 3Big calls get a memoFor the PIP, the pushback, the one about to quit: a written decision memo with the options, the risks and a date to check whether it held.

What it looks like

Based on a real exchange with a newly promoted manager. Shortened, details changed.

I was just promoted. Most of the team reports to me now, but one former peer still reports to my boss. She keeps building tools for things in my area and booking meetings with me and my boss to review them. I'm not against improvements, but this feels like she's going after my scope.
the single-maintainer point is your strongest hand. if she builds it, she's the only one who can maintain it. that's not territory, that's operational risk, and any sane manager cares about it. lead with that, not with the scope feeling. go to her one on one before the meeting: 'i saw you're working on automation for the checklist, that's genuinely useful thinking. before we get further in, can we figure out who owns what so neither of us builds something the other one has to maintain?'
I talked to my boss. He thinks she didn't mean anything by it and just wants to improve things. He said if the current checklist works, we don't need a new tool, but I should tell her nicely in the meeting.
your boss just gave you the cleanest possible cover: he already decided. so in the meeting you're not defending territory, you're delivering his call, which lets you be the nice one. 'thanks for building this, i can tell you put real thought in. my boss and i talked and the current list is working for now, so we're going to hold off on a new tool.' then, lightly: 'going forward, let's check with me before building something on my side, just so nothing gets built twice.' one thing to resist: don't soften it into a question. 'maybe we could look at it sometime' invites another meeting. a warm no is still a no.

They went into the meeting with the words, delivered a warm no, and moved on to the next thing.

$149 a month. First 7 days free.

  • Unlimited messages about your work situations
  • A written reply within a day, with the exact words to use
  • A decision memo for the big calls
  • No calls, no scheduling, no camera, your card and your account, nothing touches your employer
  • Month to month, cancel anytime
Start 7 days free

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Who you're talking to

I'm Sameed. I wrote the r/managers post "shit i wish i knew when i first became a manager" (3.8K upvotes, 916K views) and have spent the last year answering managers' hardest questions one message at a time. This is that, on purpose: the same person every time, who remembers your situation and the people in it.

Questions

Why no calls?+

Because the hard stuff is easier to write down at 11pm than to say out loud on a scheduled call. You message when it happens, I answer in writing, and you get something you can reread before the conversation. No calendar, no camera.

Is this AI?+

Partly, and I'll always say so. I use a tool I built to do the first draft, trained on how I think about these situations. I read everything you send and edit every reply before it goes out. You're talking to me, with a very fast notepad.

How fast will I hear back?+

Within a day, usually much sooner. If something is happening tomorrow morning, say so and it goes to the top.

Where do we talk?+

Wherever we're already talking, Reddit chat or email. After you start, reply to me there with whatever is on your plate this week.

What's it not for?+

It's not legal advice or therapy, and it's not something your company buys for a team. When something needs HR or a lawyer, I'll tell you, and I'll help you work out what to ask them.

Can I cancel?+

Anytime, in two clicks from the Stripe receipt. The first 7 days are free, so the first hard call costs you nothing.