How about Stretching Your Assumptions?

Assumptions Trust Gut Intuition Decision-making






For fun consider the pictures above. Next take this quick survey in relation to all the people in the pictures, not just one by one.

1. My first reaction is that that I would enjoy meeting all these folks. __Yes __No
2. I would enjoy talking to these people more so I could get to know them. __Yes __No
3. If I were a Humans Resource Manager, I could honestly interview all these folks fairly and objectively as I consider them for a position. __Yes __No
4. I would welcome these all these folks as neighbors. __Yes __No
5. I would be happy in introducing these folks to my friends. __Yes __No
   

OK – quickly jot down the number of yes and no responses you made. Keep your responses since you’ll need them again later.

Are you in the habit of revisiting your assumptions, the basis for making on-the-spot decisions? To gather insights, I visited several blogs. Here’s what I learned from folks working in a variety of fields:

Do not trust your gut in relation to customers: Tom VanderWell points out that it is not wise to trust our gut when it comes to customers. This is one area that can make or break a business. Tom advises folks to use not just an insider lens, but it is extremely important to use an outsider lens as well. What are your experiences?

Trust your gut: On the other hand, Dad recommends that we should trust our gut at times.

Check out Dad’s insights about a job interview to see what he means. Quite frankly, if the evidence is truly there, shouldn’t we trust our instincts at times!

Uncover, consider, reflect: Dr. Tammy Lenski, shares, “Many mediators work from the assumption and belief that the parties know best what will work for them, and truly know best how to resolve the dispute that’s gotten stuck if we, the mediators, can help clear the debris out of their way. If you’re a mediator who works from such an assumption, then you help people explore, uncover, consider and reflect. You come to them as a guide instead of as an expert who knows what they should do and exactly how they should do it. You don’t live their lives and you understand that you’re glimpsing only a tiny sliver of them during your brief time in their presence.” Do we really know it all?

Don’t make assumptions about people: Training for Change points out that one of the worst mistakes facilitators can make is to go into a training session with assumptions about people. Read this to see the reality:
“I went to a one-on-one discussion with a young anarchist from a fairly privileged background and an older college-activist from what I thought was an equally or more privileged background. Many of my questions were geared towards exploring the differences between the two communities. It turned out that the college activist had grown up on a farm, as a migrant worker, and had struggled to put herself through college. She felt little or no connection to the wealthy, relaxed students she saw all around her. She was older and felt that the campus activist community was not hers, and didn't really feel that she had a community to claim.” So can you usually go by your gut?

Develop opposite assumptions to move past tradition: Dr. Ellen Weber at Brain Based Business, advises folks who want to move their firms ahead and bring out new approaches to develop “an opposite set of assumptions from those in the firm’s current traditions.” By so doing, you will not be stuck in a rut of tradition and unwillingness to change. Have you ever tried stepping into opposite shoes? This strategy works well to revisit your original beliefs?

Now revisit your original answers. What did this exercise tell you about your own beliefs? Did you see prejudice? Are you OK with difference? Most of us tend to believe that we are open-minded and open to people who are different from us. Judging from your original answers is that true of you?