SUMMARY of Episode 38: The Leader's Costly Assumptions

Assumptions, both others and their own, can be very costly to leaders. Being unaware of them can, in fact, put your meaningful change in jeopardy.

And yet it is so easy to make assumptions, particularly when a change is so evident to you that you can see the benefit of it to them readily. How can they not? You then go ahead and speak of it as though this were already a given, and build your case for change from there.

In reality, their assumptions can prevent them from even hearing you. When something doesn’t make sense to us, when it’s contrary to what we know and believe based on our own experience, we tune out. And the leader’s words fall on deaf ears.

If as a leader you do become aware of the gap or chasm between your perspective and theirs, well then you have a chance to bridge it. You can ensure, and convey, that you have the right conversation in which you are fully present so that you actually hear them. And you can pose the powerful hypothetical question, “What if?” to help move them from where they may be affixed in the now to where they could start to see what could be. You can also harness the power of metaphor, as Jonathan does so effectively.

There’s one other possibility that surfaced in the question Jonathan asked himself at the end of our conversation:

Is it possible to create something new that is not built on any assumptions?

Imagine that. One thing’s for sure though, whatever we do, we can’t let whatever baggage we’re carrying right now weigh us down.

The leader’s journey continues. Stay tuned.