Say what good means

Career · Little Light original

A manager says, “Make it stronger,” and imagines a shorter argument, clearer evidence, or a more polished design. The person receiving the instruction hears urgency but not the hidden standard. Days later, the work returns and both people are disappointed. One feels the brief was ignored; the other feels they were asked to guess. When quality lives only in a leader's head, a team cannot learn from it. Before the work begins, say what good means here. Who is it for? What decision should it support? Which constraint matters most? What can remain rough for now? If you share an example, explain the choice inside it instead of asking for imitation. Then make room for questions and judgment. Clear expectations do not guarantee a perfect first attempt. They make feedback specific enough to use. Developing people is not a test of whether they can read your mind. It is the practice of making the standard visible, so another person can work with it, question it, and eventually help raise it.

Little Light