This approach can take many forms — whether it’s writing, blogging, podcasting, or any other medium through which you can express your thoughts to an audience. The goal is to offer something useful and meaningful without getting bogged down by unrealistic expectations of perfection.

This mindset has proven invaluable in my consulting job, both in my work with clients and in internal company projects. Creating a document with clear thoughts and concepts not only helps move a project forward but also places you in a position of leadership. This isn’t about competing with colleagues; it’s about taking ownership, being proactive, and guiding the project to success.

Here are a couple of examples that highlight this principle in action:

I once worked on a project where I was tasked with developing analytics artifacts — tables, views, dashboards, etc. The client was indecisive about how to test and validate these assets before pushing them into production. After weeks of ambiguity, I took the initiative to create a simple structure for testing and validation. I visualized it on a single PowerPoint slide with minimal text. This single slide, which outlined the process clearly, made all the difference.

The client responded quickly. They requested a few minor adjustments, and within two days, they approved the architecture proposal. A visual representation did what numerous emails and multiple meetings could not: it provided clarity and made decision-making straightforward. Sometimes, people just need a clear, proactive proposal to move forward, especially when they are unfamiliar with the domain or constrained by time.

Another example comes from the early days of my consulting career. I was developing an new BI stack for a customer to migrate their entire BI stack away from a legacy system. After four months of work, everything was ready, and the final step was for the business team to validate the new dashboards. However, this validation process dragged on for weeks, despite my sending detailed Excel sheets comparing hundreds of indicators between the old and new systems.

Frustrated, I decided to take a different approach.

I sent a short email highlighting three key indicators that were different between the systems and provided clear explanations for the discrepancies. At the end of the email, I asked them to validate these differences and reassured them that all other indicators had been thoroughly checked and were consistent across both systems. I attached the full Excel file again for reference.

The response was immediate. They quickly validated the new BI stack, we pushed it into production, pulled the plug on the legacy system and had an apéro — yes, sometimes we have fun. I realized that by taking ownership of the situation and simplifying the communication, I was able to get the results we needed. My confidence in stating that the rest of the work had been verified built trust, which in turn, prompted quick action from the business team.

In both examples, the common thread is taking proactive steps to own the work and provide clarity. By doing so, you can eliminate unnecessary delays and build trust with your clients or team.

I hope this piece encourages you to take ownership of your work, lead with confidence in uncertain situations, and proudly share what you’ve accomplished. Sometimes, the simple act of showing your work can be the catalyst for success.

See you next week for lesson 4 of 10.