Let's have a No-Leap Day

I don't trust him, maybe it's his moustache
I know the customer is going to steal our idea
I'm not going to work too hard, the boss wouldn't appreciate it
No use asking for more money, the client won't pay it
I'm not going to ask for help, they wouldn't pitch in anyway

It's easy to leap to conclusions, to make assumptions, but they cost us. We already deal with the letdown and disappointment when we assume something will not work or will be rejected. I'm guilty of that, maybe a lot of us are.

Why not today, since it is February 28th and it's not a leap year, we have a no-leap day? Today, make no assumption, don't leap to any conclusion and allow people to reveal who they really are and what they really think. They may surprise you.

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com

Make No Assumptions

That guy looks strange, I bet he's a weirdo
She thinks she's all that, she thinks she's better than anyone else
The company is holding an employee meeting, they're going to try to manipulate us
The client wants another idea, they just don't appreciate our thinking

We make assumptions every day. Whether it's a person in the supermarket or the guy in the next cubicle or the frumpy customer or the next-door neighbor, we look at people, we observe and we jump to conclusions.

Most of our assumptions are a waste of time, effort and energy. They simply have no value. Maybe we should just take things at face value and not read something into nothing?

Assumptions get in the way of dealing with people and issues head-on. Why not go assumption-free for a day? Can I assume you will?

Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
www.labov.com