The Say-It-Early Note

From the episode: A Mistake at Work I Regret: Going Silent, and What to Say

Getting something wrong at work is usually a skill problem, and people can help you with that. Keeping quiet about it turns it into a trust problem, so this page takes you from "I think something I did is wrong" to a short, plain message, sent early.

• What it is: a one-page note for one thing you think you got wrong at work: whether it needs saying, who to tell, the three sentences to say, and the updates until it is closed.
• Who fills it in: anybody in their first job or first years in tech, or anybody whose work had ChatGPT or Gemini in it and who is no longer sure it was right.
• When: as soon as you have a credible concern, which means a real reason to think something is wrong. You do not need to be certain first.
• Time: about ten minutes for the note. If it is taking longer, you are writing a speech; go back to three sentences.

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