Assume makes...

Mikey always said, "Assume makes an ass out of you and me."

And it does. Literally and figuratively.

I like my job but one thing that could improve is the amount of assumption the staff places on everyone knowing things. More than once, I hear from staff members, "Well, I assumed that…", "Doesn't everybody know…?" "We always do it this way."

What occurred to me today was a profound idea…that people assume because no one really knows. And by assuming one totally and completely foregoes any sort of accountability. " "Well, I assumed you knew…didn't anyone tell you?"  "Weren't you trained? If you were trained, you would know that." And then the assumptions go into the abyss because no one is held accountable and no one really thinks twice about the effect lack of accountability has on the long-term effectiveness of the team.

One co-worker said to me today, "Sometimes I just assume people know what I know, but then when I realize that they don't I have no idea where to begin to train that person."

So, let's stop assuming. Let's stop assuming that people are as educated, knowledgeable, common sensical as you are. Let's cultivate "beginner's mind" or "a sense of wonder" and find out, really, where people are coming from. Only then can we transform communication, enhance relationship building and actually be effective at what we spend our precious time in this world doing.