"What I wish my first boss had known"
In my first tech job, I really struggled to ask questions. My boss had been writing code for 16 years. I’d only just started. He made it clear that I could and should ask things, but that didn’t mean I knew how. Sometimes I didn’t understand what I’d been asked to do. So I’d sit in silence, thinking things through for what felt like ages. There’s that old quote: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” I wouldn’t have said it out loud, but that’s exactly how I felt. Eventually I’d figure things out. But it was slow, exhausting, and isolating. Looking back now, here’s what I wish he’d done: Ask me what part I was unsure about, not just if I had questions. Normalise not knowing. Check in before the silence got long. He meant well. If you’re leading or mentoring someone early in their career, this is the work: Not just making space for questions, but helping people find their voice inside it. Until next time, ✉️ Enjoying The Messy Middle? If someone sent this email your way and you’d like to get it direct, you can sign up here. |