Never apologize for showing feelings. When you do so, you apologize for the truth.
Merriam-Webster defines go-no-go as being or relating to a required decision to continue or stop a course of action.
In general, go/no go testing refers to a pass/fail test principle using two boundary conditions.
Traditionally deployed in engineering environments, go-no-go decision matrices have since been mapped to a variety of requirements.
It’s hard to think of opinions in that context.
Yesterday, a close friend forwarded a mail trail that detailed the parameters of a certain financial offering by a brokerage. The question he posed was simple enough:
What do you think of this?
Except that I didn’t see it that way.
I replied with some rather insightful(or so I thought) comments on the offering’s parameters. Terms such as alpha were used. A couple of times. The relationship manager in charge of my friend’s account had answered his queries with all the confidence and accuracy of a drunken bowsman. Let’s just say I wasn’t too charitable when I referenced his responses. #WIN. Right?
Essentially, I attacked the offering and the sender with the poise and residual aggressiveness of a 2nd year Goldman Sachs associate. I felt like a fucking star. Until I spoke to my friend earlier today.
After a couple of minutes of backslapping, he told me that he agreed with whatever I said. Unequivocally. He even added on to whatever I had said! Yes, sweet victory.
And then, very kindly and in a most gentlemanly fashion, he bitch-slapped me.
He: While I understand terms like alpha and expense ratio, I think you’re missing the point. The truth is: most people are simply looking for a go-no-go decision.
Me: …
My friend didn’t really need my opinion on the financial offering at hand. He’s a smart cookie and is pretty finance and gibberish/jargon savvy. He’s a senior banker. Enough said.
But there are people you come across that WILL expect you to give them your considered opinion. Every single working day.
Because you’re the one who they look to for that go-no-go call. Because you’re presumed to be a professional. Or will be presumed to be a prick with degrees.