Note
October 10, 2026
1 min read
Being Polite Almost Cost Me a Feature
By Cristiano Pierry
An approval check turned my polite goodbye into a scheduling decision, leaving an agreed Toucan feature waiting to start.
I called Bob, my AI agent in dots, to check on his progress. We discussed a new feature for the Toucan and agreed to build it. Then I said goodbye and told him I’d call later.
Almost immediately after I hung up, Bob sent me this push notification:
The dedicated leaf-water task hasn’t started: the approval check interpreted your “Later” goodbye as postponing it. Can I start it now to fix both the leaf’s tilt and the Toucan’s feet during bathing? It will stay local.
Bob and I had already agreed to build the feature. The approval check, meanwhile, had promoted my goodbye into a scheduling decision. I meant that I would call later. It took that to mean the work should start later. Apparently, even my goodbyes need acceptance criteria.
It doesn’t always pay to be polite.
This writing reflects my personal perspectives on product management, AI, and content discovery. It does not represent the official position of my employer or any affiliated organization.