dcurlewis/.claude/skills/brag

Update your Achievement Log with new entries based on recently processed context.

Purpose

This document is your reference for biannual self-performance reviews. It captures evidence of personal impact, demonstrated skills, and leadership value that you specifically brought. It is not a team activity log or project status tracker.

The core question for every entry: "What value did you bring that otherwise wouldn't have happened or been done as well?"

Source Files

1. Achievement log: Curated-Context/Growth/<YOUR_ACHIEVEMENT_LOG_FILENAME>
2. Memory files (for context on what's happened recently):
   • Curated-Context/System/memory-index.md (start here for last update date and priorities)
   • Memory/memory-people.md (interpersonal dynamics, team health, relationships)
   • Memory/memory-work.md (project status, delivery, blockers)
   • Memory/memory-context.md (strategic direction, vendor status, budget)
3. Recent summaries: Curated-Context/ (scan for new files since last brag doc update)

Process

Step 1: Determine update scope

Read the achievement log and identify:

• The date of the most recent chronological entry
• What period needs covering

Read Curated-Context/System/memory-index.md to understand what has changed since the last brag doc update.

Step 2: Gather evidence

Read the relevant memory files to identify your achievements since the last update. Focus on:

• Outcomes you personally drove that wouldn't have happened (or happened as well) without you
• Skills or leadership capabilities demonstrated above day-to-day role expectations
• High-level impact: financial, organisational, or strategic
• Recognition or feedback received

Three filters to apply to every candidate entry before proposing it:

1. Personal contribution, not team delivery: Is this something you specifically did, or something your team delivered? Team delivery is not brag-doc material unless your specific involvement was the differentiator (e.g. you coached someone through it, drove a strategic decision, or personally executed).
2. Above and beyond BAU: Is this worth highlighting as an achievement above day-to-day role expectations? Routine activities (giving feedback, running 1:1s, managing vendor calls, onboarding support) are expected of the role and do not belong here unless the impact was outsized.
3. Outcome, not intention: Has this produced a concrete outcome? Proposals, intentions, and things "in progress" do not belong until they land. If a proposal leads to a result, capture the result.

Step 3: Clarify before writing

Before appending any entries, present a summary of what you plan to add and ask the user:

1. Proposed entries: List the achievements you've identified, grouped by month
2. Unclear attribution: Flag anything where the user's specific role isn't obvious from the evidence (e.g. 'Team shipped X' vs 'Led the effort to ship X')
3. Possible gaps: Note any areas where you suspect there may be achievements not captured in the memory files (e.g. if memory mentions a significant outcome but doesn't detail the user's involvement)
4. Recognition/feedback: List any new stakeholder quotes or feedback identified

Ask the user to confirm, correct, or add to the list before proceeding.

Step 4: Write entries

After the user confirms, append new entries to the achievement log following the existing format:

Chronological entries (main body):

• Group by month under ### [Month] [Year] headings
• Each entry: - **Bold title**: Concise description capturing the impact in one sentence where possible
• Focus on your specific contribution, not just what happened
• Include concrete metrics where possible (dollars saved, percentage improvements, team sizes, adoption numbers)
• Avoid restating context already established in earlier entries; if a topic has multiple prior entries, note only what is new
• Keep entries succinct; one sentence each unless complexity warrants more

Key Ongoing Achievements (rolling section):

• Update only if the strategic picture has materially changed
• Replace outdated items rather than accumulating indefinitely
• Target 5-7 bullet points capturing current strategic positioning

Metrics & Impact (rolling section):

• Update numbers that have changed
• Add new metric categories only if a genuinely new dimension of impact has emerged
• Remove metrics that are no longer current or relevant

Recognition & Stakeholder Feedback (rolling section):

• Add new feedback items at the top (most recent first)
• Include only direct quotes or clearly attributed assessments
• Each entry: - **Name (Date)**: Quote or paraphrased feedback

Step 5: Confirm and report

After writing, tell the user:

• How many new entries were added and for which months
• Whether the rolling sections were updated
• Any items that were borderline and could be removed if the doc is getting too long

Writing Standards

Do

• State your specific role: 'Led negotiation' not 'Negotiation happened'
• Include evidence: numbers, quotes, dates, names
• Be concise: one to two sentences per entry is ideal
• Use active voice: 'Secured $250K fee waiver' not '$250K fee waiver was secured'
• Ground in facts from memory files and meeting summaries

Don't

• Include achievements where your role is unclear (ask first)
• Duplicate entries already in the log
• Add speculative or aspirational items
• Pad entries with unnecessary context
• Log team delivery as your achievement unless your specific role was the differentiator
• Include proposals or intentions that haven't produced outcomes yet
• Repeat or inflate topics already well-covered in earlier entries
• Include routine management activities (feedback delivery, 1:1s, skip-levels, onboarding support) unless the impact was outsized

Attribution test

For each potential entry, apply all three filters:

1. 'If I weren't here, would this have happened the same way?' If unclear, flag for clarification rather than including it.
2. 'Is this above and beyond day-to-day expectations of the role?' If it's BAU management activity, exclude it.
3. 'Has this produced a concrete outcome?' If it's still a proposal or intention, defer until it lands.

Output

Update the file in place at Curated-Context/Growth/<YOUR_ACHIEVEMENT_LOG_FILENAME>.