My boss said something about my project report that made me stop and think

I gave him my weekly update on the new client project yesterday, and after I finished he asked me why I only listed the tasks I did. He said, 'Kevin, I don't just need a list of what you did. I need to know what you learned and what you'd do differently next time.' That hit me because I've been doing reports the same way for three years. It made me realize I'm just showing activity, not my actual thinking. How do you make sure your updates show your problem solving and not just a checklist?

2 comments

2 Comments

dakotaellis3d ago

Man, that's a good boss right there. My old reports were basically just "did the thing, moving on" for ages. Started forcing myself to add one line like "the data pull was messy because the client's system tags things weird, so next week I'll ask for their field guide first." It feels awkward at first, like you're stating the obvious, but it shows you're actually paying attention.

stone.barbara3d ago

You're right that it feels awkward, but I don't think it's stating the obvious. That one line you add, @dakotaellis, turns a simple note into real problem solving. Saying "the data was messy" just reports a fact. Saying you'll "ask for the field guide first" shows you found the root cause and have a plan to stop it from happening again. That's the difference between just doing tasks and actually managing your work. It's a small change that makes a big difference in how your effort is seen.