Put your interest beside your recommendation

Integrity · Little Light original

You recommend someone whose work you genuinely respect. You also know them well, or stand to benefit if the decision goes their way. Because you believe the recommendation is sound, mentioning that connection can feel unnecessary, even faintly disloyal to your own judgment. Put the connection where others can see it. They need enough context to assess the recommendation, not just enough enthusiasm to accept it. Openness does not automatically resolve a conflict; it allows the next step to be considered properly, including whether someone independent should make the call. A relationship worth recommending should not need to be kept out of the explanation. Credibility is more durable when you do not ask people to discover your interests later. You can care about an outcome and still help the decision remain fair. Give your reasoning its evidence, give your connection its name, and allow the recommendation to be examined with both in view.

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