A colleague misses a deadline.
You might think, “They did not make this a priority.”
Perhaps that is true. Perhaps they were waiting on a decision, working from a different deadline, or managing a problem you cannot see.
Ask before settling on an explanation:
“I was expecting this yesterday. What got in the way, and what is the new timeline?”
That question still addresses the missed commitment. It also gives you information you need to decide what happens next.
Curiosity does not remove accountability. It helps you respond to the problem that actually occurred.
Where could one question keep you from acting on an assumption?
