Am I Done?
I received a notification recently that a password had been changed on a client’s website. I hadn’t made the change, so I reached out to ask about it. The client confirmed they had been updating passwords, and everything was fine.
That situation got me thinking, and of course analyzing. There were three steps in there, and too often, I automatically assume number three is mine.
Noticing something. Investigating it. Taking responsibility for resolving it.
In this case, I noticed something that might have been a problem. I followed up to find out what had happened. And once I had confirmation that the change was authorized, I realized there wasn’t anything else I needed to do.
Sometimes I let those three things run together. If I notice something, I feel like I need to investigate it, which I think is defensible and part of my job. But then if I investigate it, I can start to feel responsible for whatever comes next. But that’s not necessarily the case.
Sometimes noticing something and asking the right question is exactly, and all, that I need to do.