Jean Roberts

To assume is to take something or someone for granted – meaning that something or someone is being taken for granted.

The absence of timely, explicit and formal or official clarification allows assumptions to flourish, inviting inappropriate and perhaps negative or defensive behaviour.  This can result in minimal or inappropriate performance.  Imagine an employee undergoing performance appraisal in the absence of role clarity; the supervisor simply – and wrongly – assuming the employee should have known what was expected.  The fault here is with the supervisor.

 An assumption can be made in relation to:

• the nature or extent of power or authority;
• the right of possession or ownership;
• benefits of eligibility or status; or
• how, and to what extent, an individual or group is expected to act, react or take control. 

 Where there is no clarity in a business or organisation as to individual or group roles, responsibilities, accountabilities, authority, and even titles – there is potential for misunderstanding, conflict or competitiveness; and for loss of commitment, apathy or a constant state of resignation.

 Where there is no clarity as to boundaries or limitations, there will be those who will assume there is no boundary, and those who will assume a safe and secure boundary: it’s likely that neither will be right – leading to negative outcomes: 

• far better that clear boundaries are set – or at least drafted as a basis for adjustment or confirmation.

 Where there is no clarity as to realistic expectations, there will be those who will assume greater than likely outcomes, and those who will assume less than likely outcomes: it’s again likely that either will be satisfied with the outcome:

• far better to collectively gauge an expectation or outcome based on  previous experience, or preferably, on available facts. 

 Examples of wise and acceptable assumptions include:

• that each and every person is unique – therefore surprises will happen
• that work-place behaviour is a combination of role clarity and personality
• that one should take care in expressing an opinion
• that safety, security and quality depend on clear, explicit, adequate and appropriate instructions

 Examples of unwise and unacceptable assumptions include:

• that the behaviour of people of a particular culture, gender, background, age, educational  status, religion or socio-economic status, etc., is predictable and pre-determined
• that one’s own opinion is always better or more important than another’s opinion
• that volunteer (unpaid) effort is of a higher status and quality than the effort of paid staff
• that seniority equates superiority
• that others will know your intention or requirement without any explanation

Scenario 1:    An extract from chapter 1 of my current e-book – My Spiritual Journey as an Independent Consultant

 Participant entry and exit maturity levels in training courses

• ‘entry maturity’ is the level of maturity with the course topic or theme brought by each course participant as they enter the training room at commencement of the course: ‘maturity’ is a combination of confidence, competence and comfort with the course topic or theme.
•  Participants whose entry maturity was low would drain the group energy: participants whose entry maturity was high would contribute to the group energy, and participants whose entry maturity was uncertain would challenge the group energy.  Together, these three levels of entry maturity would create the group’s collective consciousness.  And I could rely on the collective consciousness being an amalgam of the entry maturity level of all participants – at least for the first hour of each course.
•  My tools and methods for adaptation needed to respond to the group’s collective consciousness in each training course.  (Trainers often refer to their own connection with a group’s collective consciousness as ‘having their antennae tuned into the group’ or ‘using their intuition’ to check the response level of a group throughout a course.)
•  The course topic or theme would have brought the participants to the room and given them the context, the purpose, the framework for attendance.  My responsibility was to ensure that my notes and the course format were adequate to satisfy their immediate need for confidence or competency or comfort in relation to the topic or theme.  
•  At the end of a course, individual participants would have achieved or acquired an ‘exit maturity’ – desirably a higher level of maturity (ie competence, confidence and/or comfort) with the course topic or theme that they would take back to their workplace or private life for use, application or reference.

 It’s an unwise trainer or consultant who will assume an entry maturity:

• the first task is to assess a level of maturity that presents a starting point from which to move toward an appropriate exit maturity
• the entry maturity is set by the participants – not by the trainer or consultant 
• and equally, the exit maturity is determined by the participants and facilitated by the trainer or consultant.

 Scenario 2:    An extract from page 85 of my book, One Man Show – the Smallest of small business, featuring my, and Shakespeare’s, experiences as sole operators

 Be wary of making assumptions

• business methods and systems can and almost certainly will change and improve:    don’t assume that your current business methods and systems will continue to be adequate, appropriate or effective
•  your product or service may have an established market:   don’t assume that you don’t need to continue marketing, improving your product or service, or createnew markets, products or services
•  your customer needs, interests and aspirations may change, or your product or service may lose favour as competitors enter your market-place:    don’t assume your customers’ needs, interests or aspirations – only they can keep you informed about these
•  your suppliers– build strong relationships with them, monitor their performance and reliability, recommend them to others if you are satisfied with their service, and don’t hesitate to change a supplier who proves to be unreliable or to cease adding value to your One Man Show:   don’t assume that a supplier who has proved to be reliable will always be reliable, or that you will always be a priority client or customer – give as much care and attention to your suppliers as you do to your customers.
•  your market-place may be geographic or interest/practice-based – keep in touch with who else is offering products or services similar to, or compatible with, your own; and don’t rely on just one market-place:    don’t assume that your market-place will retain its interest in your product or service, and definitely don’t assume that there is no competitor waiting to see how well your product or service is received before either copying or improving it with her/his own product or service