I remember when I was in math class, and the teacher always demanded that we show our work. The same was true in English class, when we had to provide outlines and first drafts along with our final paper.
While it didn’t make any sense at the time, I now believe it was meant to establish a pattern of explaining our thought process. It’s something often forgotten in today’s hectic workplace, but would help immensely with understanding the “why” behind decisions or assignments. If supervisors “showed their work” to employees, staff could learn the critical thinking that led to the decision and have a better grasp of what they were ultimately trying to achieve. Saying “do this” without context can leave it open to misinterpretation or confusion.
There’s a difference between 6×2 and 3×4, even though both result in a product of 12. Sometimes, seeing those previous steps can make a difference. Get in the habit of showing at least some of your work as a way to help others more closely align with your desired outcome.
