A new consulting employee reflects on their first year at SDI Consulting. The author discusses learning business terminology and a counterintuitive workplace principle.
The central theme revolves around the phrase "it's better to be explicitly wrong than generally right." The author initially questioned this concept but came to understand its value through work experiences.
Three specific scenarios illustrate this principle: a project that didn't fit the standard template, filling information gaps with filler text rather than flagging missing data, and creating a communication plan without dates rather than noting estimated dates clearly.
The author concludes that taking calculated risks and surfacing issues early—bringing up issues and challenging initial plans sooner—drives better results faster than attempting to avoid all mistakes upfront.