Assume Less, Achieve More

Messages not getting through?

Noticing a lack of ownership and action?

Maybe you're too smart for your own good and are suffering from 'the curse of knowledge'.

My son told me recently that when he was little, he used to think that if something was 'terrific', it meant that it was a very bad thing.

He thought it was a mix of 'terror' and 'horrific', which makes sense when you think about it, but of course at the time we assumed that he would be excited about 'terrific' things!

It reminded me about how we often assume that people know what we're saying - the expressions we use, the jokes we make, the acronyms, the generalisations.

It can be particularly tempting when working with senior, experienced people, to assume knowledge. To assume experience. To assume confidence. To assume competence.

To avoid offending people by telling them what they might already know, or perhaps to avoid looking a bit silly yourself.

But it's better to risk of pointing out the obvious, than risk a lack of clarity which can lead to far worse outcomes, especially if it's your top team.

The thing is, senior people are even more unlikely to admit that they don't know, or that they're unsure about how to move forward. They don't want to risk looking incompetent, or to waste your time.

And...this lack of clarity, confidence or competence leads directly to a lack of action and accountability, wreaking havoc for you and your organisation.

So if you're noticing that your message doesn't seem to be cutting through, or outcomes are lagging, maybe the information given wasn't as clear to others as it is to you.

Even your best and brightest may need a vote of confidence or additional guidance, particularly if it's a new initiative or challenge.

It pays to keep it simple, check in for understanding, ask what isn't clear and what help is needed.

And...be exceptionally clear about your expectations on deliverables, decision making and timeframes to set your people up for success.

🔅What else would you add to ensure clarity?