I went to a garage sale where items were not individually marked, but instead, you made “what you believe to be an appropriate donation” which was given to a local charity. I paid for my item but received a glare from the clerk. Apparently, she did not think my contribution was enough!
If you have a certain expectation in mind, it is better to state it explicitly rather than make people play the guessing game.
- If you say “it’s up to you” how you do a task but mean “do it a certain way,” say that from the beginning
- If “unlimited PTO” has a ceiling before your time away starts raising eyebrows, state a limit instead
- If “I don’t care where we go to eat” is disingenuous, say where you actually want to go
- If “we can leave whenever” means that you’ll start pacing after a certain time, be clear about what time you mean
- If “get to it when you can” translates to “do it by Tuesday,” do both of you a favor by outlining a deadline
- If “all you can eat” will prompt glares after two servings, be upfront about those limitations
Providing latitude sounds like a good idea until the uncertainty outweighs the alleged freedom. Clarity is a gift.
