Denise Brouillette

“He said…”, “She said…”, and before you know it, it all sounds like the truth, even when it isn't!

During a meeting with her team Gina gave an update on a pressing situation and said this: “Jim told us he'd send Laura the back-up information for her presentation to the senior staff. He's a day late. I know he doesn't want Laura or anyone else on our team to succeed in this meeting and that's why he hasn't bothered to send us what we need.”

How much of this information is factual and what is assumed? While a fact is something that can be shown to have actually happened, an assumption is what we believe to be true with little or no tangible proof that it is. The problem arises when we draw air-tight conclusions based on inaccurate or incomplete information extrapolated from assumptions and don't check in to examine what's factual and what's fiction.

Assumptions can be very useful. They give us an indication of what we should be thinking about or what we should anticipate. For example, you're stopped at a red light on a highly traveled street where people have been known to run the red. You see a car approaching the busy inter-section just as your light turns green. You don't move. Why not? Because you have evidence from past experience that drivers dash through the red at this particular intersection. You have no factual evidence that this person is going to run the light. How could you? But you assume that he might because others have in the past. You then take action based on the supposition that it could happen this time. But it doesn't. The driver stops at the red.

In a situation like this where you have only seconds to think, you would be wise take protective action because your life could be in danger. But in work situations where there may be time to fact check, do it. While many assumptions do have a basis in fact, they are not fact until proven to be, so validate!

In the Gina situation, what is factual is that the team does not have the information they need. However, there are several assumptions that Gina and her team believe to be true. One is that Jim knows that the team needed it yesterday. But does he? A second is that Jim doesn't want the team to succeed. What's the evidence for that? A third assumption is that Jim is purposefully withholding information. How does Gina know that? She doesn't and therefore she should verify all information before she speaks, or at least say that this is what she assumes and that it hasn't been checked out yet.

Avoid mixing facts with assumptions and assuming they are all facts. Listen for what may be true and what is unsubstantiated. These three examples show how factual information generates assumptions that are then treated as truth.

Fact: “Frank wants us to submit a proposal for the new project.” Assumption: “But I doubt if he wants a budget for it right now.” Believing you know what someone's thinking is behind a request can lead to an incorrect assessment of a situation.

Fact: “Our liaison in the VPs office told me that the deadline for the project milestone draft report is tomorrow, not Friday.” Assumption: “This VP doesn't usually care if people are late with these milestone reports, so I'm sure she'll be fine if I send it off to her on the date that I thought it was originally due.” What if this time the situation is different? You'd be late and that could be a problem.

Fact: “The operations group wants us to come up with a plan for how to handle system problems and then present it at next Friday's management team meeting.” Assumption: “We don't need to check with anyone else on this.” What if you do? What other information might you need?

As a quick review, acting without knowing what is true and what is assumed can lead to actions that create more problems; separate out facts from assumptions whenever you are able. Begin observing those every-day non-influence conversations for what seems factual and what may sound like assumption. In your influence situations, be mindful to separate out what you know to be true from what is not yet confirmed.