little lightCareer · Little Light original
A former colleague asks whether you will be a reference, and you agree because you want to help. When the call comes, it is tempting to stay safely positive: reliable, hardworking, pleasant to work with. The praise is kind, but it gives the listener very little evidence to carry forward. Before the conversation, ask what role the person is pursuing and which parts of your shared work they hope you can speak about. Choose two specific examples you observed directly: the difficult decision they improved, the responsibility they earned, or the way they responded when a plan went wrong. Protect confidential details and do not claim knowledge you do not have. A useful reference is not a favour made of adjectives. It is a careful account of someone’s contribution, offered with their consent and grounded in truth. Your specificity can help good work travel beyond the room where it happened. If you have agreed to lend your credibility, prepare well enough for it to mean something.
Little Light
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