Prudent

What it looks like

• Thinks through what could go wrong before committing money, time or people.
• Keeps a reserve, a backup or a second plan for when things go wrong.
• Waits for the facts when waiting costs little and acting early could cost a lot.

Fits when a person uses sound moral judgment about risks and consequences

Not when caution is driven only by self-interest or prevents any worthwhile action

How to say it

Replace the brackets with what the person actually did.

• Built [a reserve, contingency plan or risk review] for [budget or project] of [size], which covered [shortfall or incident] in [year] without [cuts or delay].

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• [Name] is prudent with [budgets, safety or client commitments]: they [checked the risks or kept a reserve] before committing, and that judgment held up when [problem] came.

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• [Name] thinks ahead and makes prudent choices, such as starting long projects early instead of leaving them to the last night.

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• The forecast said the storm would turn east. He tied down the boats anyway, and filled the generator before supper.

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