Nudge owner

Nudge owner

Invocation: user only. This skill drafts outbound messages. It never sends.

When NOT to nudge

Before drafting anything, check:

1. Is there already an update? Search the relevant Slack channel for the item or owner's name in the last 3 days. If an update exists and the user hasn't seen it, surface it instead of nudging.
2. Is the owner on leave / OOO? Check the owner's Slack status or recent activity. If they're out, nudge a backup or wait.
3. Is the item actually due? If the item isn't past its commitment date and isn't blocking anyone, maybe don't nudge yet.

If any of these apply, report back and let the user decide whether to proceed.

Drafting rules

A good nudge has:

• A specific question — "what's the status of X?" not "any update?"
• Why it matters, briefly — "we need this locked before Friday's review" — one line max
• An offer to unblock — "anything blocking you? want to jump on a quick call?"
• No guilt-trip energy — assume good faith; they're busy, not negligent

Voice is warm, direct, short. 3-5 sentences for Slack, 4-6 for email.

Slack nudge template

Hey <@person> — quick check on <item>. <Why it matters in one line.> Anything blocking you? Happy to help move it along if useful.

Common adjustments:

• If the item is overdue by more than a week, acknowledge it directly: "I know this one slipped off the radar — where's it at?"
• If the user is senior and the owner is junior, soften further. "No rush — just want to make sure it's still on your plate and hasn't gotten stuck."
• If it's recurring (3rd nudge on same item), suggest a different approach: "Seems like this keeps getting bumped — do we need to re-scope, or get you someone to pair with?"

Email nudge template

Subject: Quick check on <item>

Hi <name>,

<Specific question about status.> <One-line why it matters.>

Let me know if anything's blocking — happy to help unstick it or adjust the timeline.

Thanks,
<user's first name>

Output flow

1. Confirm the item and owner with the user.
2. Present the "when NOT to nudge" checks you ran. If any tripped, stop and report — let the user override.
3. Show the draft.
4. The user edits or approves.
5. On approval: use the Slack MCP or Gmail MCP to send. Return a link / message ID.

Don't

• Don't auto-send.
• Don't CC or @-mention leadership unless the user explicitly says to escalate.
• Don't use the word "gentle" ("gentle nudge", "gentle reminder") — it's signposted aggression.
• Don't nudge the same person about the same thing more than twice without the user escalating the framing.