The term “set up to succeed” means people have been given most of what they need to do their job well.

Good bosses do more than just set goals and give assignments; they should see themselves as responsible for ensuring that good work happens (see Lefferts Law of Management). First, they think through the steps that need to happen for someone to do a project and where the challenges are going to be. Second, they invest their own time clearing a path for those tasks to go more easily (so higher levels of performance are possible). A good boss builds a runway for you so that you can smoothly take off. Alternatively, you know you’re being set up to fail if you’re assigned a project with impossible odds, conflicting goals, or a fraction of the resources required. When there are major obstacles on the runway, or no runway at all, your manager isn’t doing his job.

Here’s a simple list of questions you can ask to see how well set up you are to succeed (or fail). They can be used to structure a conversation with your boss about what you need and why.

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