How many times have you found yourself being upset because something happened to you and you didn’t remember EVERY little detail as accurately as you did when the incident occurred? Raise your hand!!!
The fact of the matter is that the majority of us don’t really anticipate the need to document a particular scenario (whether it be job related or regular course of business dealings) until something funky happens. It may sound weird but most of us have a full expectation that we will be able to go through the course of our normal ‘day to day’ life without having to remember ‘details’ of an incident or situation.
However, here are a few things to keep in the back of your mind:
1) Your memory may go over time but the ink doesn’t go as fast
If something happens to you, it’s important to write every little detail down while it’s fresh in your mind. Don’t underestimate the power of details. When something happens to you, you remember EVERY little nuance and every little detail with crystal clear accuracy. However, as each day passes, those little nuances and details will start to become fuzzy. Even worse, you may start to doubt the clarity of the detail itself.
2) Never forget WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE
So many times when we are actually writing something, we leave out particular things. WHO. Not only WHO was involved but WHO was around to see it happen. What was the person’s names, positions, and relationship to the situation. WHAT. What were the facts of the case? What were the circumstances leading up to it? What happened after the incident? WHEN! Did it happen in the morning, noon or night? Did it occur during a busy shift or a slow shift? WHERE! Did this happen in the break room or on the production line floor? Was it done in private or did the incident happen in front of a crowd.
3) Make a copy
Come on now. How many of you have dropped that note pad in a puddle of water and then spent the next 5 minutes cussing out the ground? You know what I’m talking about and you know I’m serious. If you have information that is important, make a copy for yourself. The last thing you need is to lose some crucial information that will keep your mind refreshed.
4) Keep it for a while
You never know when you may need it. In the end, if something comes up a year later, are you really going to remember all of the details?
It’s important that we all take the time to properly document a situation that may potentially become an issue for the future. Keep a pad in the car. You never know when you may need to write something down.
