Comments on: The Definitive Guide to Covering Your Ass http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/30/how-to-cover-your-ass/ Productivity for Entrepreneurs, GTD Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:10:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Back Online After the Digg Assault | The Cranking Widgets Blog http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/30/how-to-cover-your-ass/comment-page-1/#comment-23341 Back Online After the Digg Assault | The Cranking Widgets Blog Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:14:01 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/31/how-to-cover-your-ass/#comment-23341 [...] a quick one – the previous post (The Definitive Guide to Covering Your Ass) hit the digg homepage 2 days ago, which promptly brought this little blog to it’s knees. [...] [...] a quick one – the previous post (The Definitive Guide to Covering Your Ass) hit the digg homepage 2 days ago, which promptly brought this little blog to it’s knees. [...]

]]> By: My Get Things Done List » Blog Archive » Back Online After the Digg Assault [The Cranking Widgets Blog] http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/30/how-to-cover-your-ass/comment-page-1/#comment-23267 My Get Things Done List » Blog Archive » Back Online After the Digg Assault [The Cranking Widgets Blog] Sat, 08 Aug 2009 04:14:10 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/31/how-to-cover-your-ass/#comment-23267 [...] a quick one – the previous post (The Definitive Guide to Covering Your Ass) hit the digg homepage 2 days ago, which promptly brought this little blog to it’s knees. [...] [...] a quick one – the previous post (The Definitive Guide to Covering Your Ass) hit the digg homepage 2 days ago, which promptly brought this little blog to it’s knees. [...]

]]> By: Dark Sociologist http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/30/how-to-cover-your-ass/comment-page-1/#comment-14913 Dark Sociologist Sun, 04 Nov 2007 15:25:56 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/31/how-to-cover-your-ass/#comment-14913 In response to Jared, you can develop two strategies here: First, if you actually don't mind doing the additional research necessary, then you can tell others that you don't know and then come back with an answer. This is important when someone is coming to you as an expert, where you are responsible for the answer. On the other hand, there are times when you don't really care about the answer, so you try to be as helpful as you can, but don't exert any more energy and time than necessary. By stating "to the best of my knowledge" you inform the other person that you are trying to be helpful, but the ultimate responsibility for the answer is on him and not you. In response to Jared, you can develop two strategies here: First, if you actually don’t mind doing the additional research necessary, then you can tell others that you don’t know and then come back with an answer. This is important when someone is coming to you as an expert, where you are responsible for the answer.

On the other hand, there are times when you don’t really care about the answer, so you try to be as helpful as you can, but don’t exert any more energy and time than necessary. By stating “to the best of my knowledge” you inform the other person that you are trying to be helpful, but the ultimate responsibility for the answer is on him and not you.

]]> By: Wayne http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/30/how-to-cover-your-ass/comment-page-1/#comment-14728 Wayne Wed, 31 Oct 2007 20:58:58 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/31/how-to-cover-your-ass/#comment-14728 You didn't mention my favorite CYA keyword: should. "Does the new feature work?" "It should. It passed all of the testing" "Did your change mess up the build?" "it shouldn't have, I didn't check anything in that is compiled.." You didn’t mention my favorite CYA keyword: should.

“Does the new feature work?”
“It should. It passed all of the testing”

“Did your change mess up the build?”
“it shouldn’t have, I didn’t check anything in that is compiled..”

]]> By: Ravi Vora http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/30/how-to-cover-your-ass/comment-page-1/#comment-14724 Ravi Vora Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:50:34 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/31/how-to-cover-your-ass/#comment-14724 Sometimes asking for some time to figure it out can be beneficial too. Such as, "Did you send all of the files in the e-mail?" your response could be "I believe I did, but I will check to make sure." That way you can either amend the situation or at least diffuse the argument for the time being. Sometimes asking for some time to figure it out can be beneficial too. Such as, “Did you send all of the files in the e-mail?” your response could be “I believe I did, but I will check to make sure.” That way you can either amend the situation or at least diffuse the argument for the time being.

]]> By: Marina @ Sufficient Thrust http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/30/how-to-cover-your-ass/comment-page-1/#comment-14719 Marina @ Sufficient Thrust Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:10:46 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/31/how-to-cover-your-ass/#comment-14719 This is so true. One of things I hate most about working with other people is when they say they know how to do something, or worse, are done/almost done doing something, only to learn later that they actually didn't know how to do it and the task is incomplete (and likely late). As for questions like "Did [client] receive [product]?" I think a strong organizational system should provide those answers, so you don't have to trust your brain to log all those details. Even better is an organizational system that allows other people to check on the status of a project without bothering you with the question in the first place! All that said, I have enjoyed greater success and opportunities by saying "I can find out!" instead of "No" when asked something I'm not positive I can answer/do that that very second. This is so true. One of things I hate most about working with other people is when they say they know how to do something, or worse, are done/almost done doing something, only to learn later that they actually didn’t know how to do it and the task is incomplete (and likely late).

As for questions like “Did [client] receive [product]?” I think a strong organizational system should provide those answers, so you don’t have to trust your brain to log all those details. Even better is an organizational system that allows other people to check on the status of a project without bothering you with the question in the first place!

All that said, I have enjoyed greater success and opportunities by saying “I can find out!” instead of “No” when asked something I’m not positive I can answer/do that that very second.

]]> By: Jared http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/30/how-to-cover-your-ass/comment-page-1/#comment-14714 Jared Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:47:26 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/10/31/how-to-cover-your-ass/#comment-14714 To touch on a similar point, there's nothing wrong with admitting you don't know. If you don't know, say you don't know. The key then is to go find out, and bring an answer back. It happens to me often at work. There are far too many details to just remember. If I don't know something, I just tell the person that I don't know, and I will find out. No one ever has a problem with that as long as I find out and give them an answer. In fact, they prefer that over just guessing and being wrong. To touch on a similar point, there’s nothing wrong with admitting you don’t know. If you don’t know, say you don’t know. The key then is to go find out, and bring an answer back. It happens to me often at work. There are far too many details to just remember. If I don’t know something, I just tell the person that I don’t know, and I will find out. No one ever has a problem with that as long as I find out and give them an answer. In fact, they prefer that over just guessing and being wrong.

]]>