Above 0.85 capacity, counter-offer new requests with a later date or explicit trade-off
When your commitment-to-capacity ratio exceeds 0.85, respond to new requests with explicit counter-offers stating either a later start date or a specific trade-off rather than accepting or declining without alternatives.
Why This Is a Rule
When your commitment-to-capacity ratio exceeds 0.85 (see Keep commitments at 70-85% of capacity — the 15-30% slack absorbs variance), you're in the zone where accepting new work without adjusting existing commitments risks pushing above 1.0 and triggering the cascading delays of overcommitment. But simply declining requests damages relationships and closes doors.
The counter-offer is the third option between accepting (overcommitting) and declining (relationship cost). "I'm committed through [date]. I can start this on [later date], or I can take this on now if we defer [specific existing commitment]." This response is honest about capacity, collaborative about solutions, and preserves the relationship by providing alternatives rather than a flat no.
The counter-offer also makes the trade-off visible to the requester. When you say "I can do this if we defer Project X," the requester now understands the cost of their request in terms of other work they care about. This converts a capacity discussion from "are you available?" (binary) into "what are the trade-offs?" (productive), which often leads to better prioritization decisions from the requester.
When This Fires
- A new request arrives when your C/C ratio is above 0.85
- Someone asks you to take on additional work during an already-loaded period
- You want to help but know accepting would push you into overcommitment territory
- Any situation where "yes" would be overcommitment and "no" would be relationship damage
Common Failure Mode
Accepting without counter-offering because saying yes is socially easier. "Sure, I'll find time." You won't find time — time doesn't appear. What happens is every existing commitment gets squeezed, quality drops across the board, and you deliver everything late instead of delivering most things on time with one deferred. The counter-offer prevents this by making the capacity constraint visible before it becomes a delivery failure.
The Protocol
When a new request arrives and your C/C ratio > 0.85: (1) Don't answer immediately — check your capacity data. (2) Respond with a counter-offer using one of two structures: Timeline: "I'm committed through [date]. I can start this on [date] — would that work?" Trade-off: "I can take this on now if we defer [specific commitment]. Which is higher priority?" (3) State capacity facts without apology or excessive explanation. (4) Let the requester decide which option works best — they may discover their request can wait, or that the trade-off isn't worth it.