I was a bit naive when I thought I could learn everything from the internet. In my case, I wanted to be a software engineer. If you start today, maybe that’s true. More on that later. But I started in 2013, and if your goal was just to be technically proficient, you wouldn’t see a problem with that. However, I didn’t realize that technical skill alone isn’t enough to thrive in a job.
I kept making mistakes at work without understanding what they were. It usually took me a few years to feel something was off at work, and then I would just leave—but this year was different. I started venting to ChatGPT (4o to be specific) about work issues, and it turned out to be incredibly helpful. Recently, I made a mistake by reporting an issue a bit later than I should have. In my defense, it was a complex feature, and my main focus was to get it working. Along the way, I noticed a few edge cases that I thought would be fairly easy to fix. But to address them, I had to explain the issues first. Without a complete version, visualizing these issues was challenging, so I waited.
This is where I believe the problem started—I should have communicated the problem earlier, regardless of the feature’s development state. I can admit that I misjudged the situation. I thought it was best to finish the task first and then address those issues during reviews to save time. But as it neared completion, someone in power wanted to see it. There were issues, and I was honest about them, admitting that I hadn’t informed the product owner. Understandably, he was frustrated—he may have had plans that depended on this feature.
That experience taught me a valuable lesson: I shouldn’t rush to complete tasks at the expense of leaving others in the dark. ChatGPT helped me see the balance. I asked if I should have tried over-communicating instead, but it advised against both under- and over-communicating. Here’s what it advised:
“It sounds like people might feel left out of key details or get updates later than expected, which can come across as a communication gap. You don’t need to over-communicate, but finding a balance can help. Here are a few tips:
Clarify expectations upfront: Set clear timing for updates so others know when to expect information from you.
Prioritize essentials: Focus on sharing the most relevant information when it’s needed without overwhelming people with details.
Be proactive in follow-ups: If there’s a delay or change, inform people early so they can adjust.”
ChatGPT then asked if this approach aligned with my work style. I said yes; it made sense Now I see why I kept making the same mistakes at work and kept leaving jobs. I was so focused on the technical side that I thought communication was something I could learn on the job. I thought I could learn everything from the internet, but I was wrong—at least until ChatGPT came along. It helped me see how to communicate better at work. I’m grateful for the advice and will apply it in my next job.
Thanks, ChatGPT! But it made me wonder—who was there for you when things went wrong at work? or like me, did you just leave?