Your Incident, Your Words

Think of a real moment at work when something went wrong — and you had to communicate about it.

The 'Before' moment

Describe the situation in one sentence. What was working normally before the problem started?

First sign

What was the first sign that something was wrong? Write one word or phrase.

The turning point

What was the key action or decision that changed the situation? Mark it on the arrow.

Problem started

→

Solution found

The 'After' state

Write the message you sent (or wish you had sent) to your client or manager when the problem was resolved.

What you assumed

At the time, what did you think was the most important thing to communicate? Write it here.

What it actually was

Looking back at step 3 — was your most important action really the turning point, or was it something else? Change it if needed.

Same as step 3

Actually, it was...

The word only hindsight gives

Choose ONE word that describes what you now understand about communication under pressure — and write one sentence explaining why that word fits.

Why that word?

Discuss Share your word from step 7 with a partner — do you agree on what matters most when things go wrong?

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