Escalation: Ask team leader if problem is "too big"

Question

I am not a native speaker and want to know if "escalation" is the matching word for this:

I get a question from a customer, and I don't know if I am allowed to answer or do it. I want to go to my team leader to ask him if I am allowed to.

I looked at the wikipedia page for "Escalation" and I can't find a matching definition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escalation

How to call "Asking the upper hierarchy for help/advice/permission" in the English language?

Spehro 'speff' Pefhany · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-04 13:08:48Z

2

Escalate is an appropriate word in current business-speak for this situation.

For example, "I will escalate the issue to my team leader".

Here is a page from the Project Management Institute that has a number of examples of how it is used, but with no definition.

answered May 4, 2016 at 13:08

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Thank you for your answer. If "Escalate" is appropriate I ask myself why no entry of the list (Cost escalation, Conflict escalation, ...) on en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escalation matches. At least not my point of view.
– guettli
Commented Mar 13, 2017 at 10:18
I asked the wikipedia people here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
– guettli
Commented Mar 13, 2017 at 10:21

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v kumar · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-04 06:56:42Z

1

You can simply say that you need to "consult" your senior to check if you can take the task up or not.

answered May 4, 2016 at 6:56

v kumar

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Yes, I could use "consult". But this does not imply "going to a higher hierarchy level".
– guettli
Commented May 4, 2016 at 14:52

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2 Answers 2