When Is It Okay To Assume Things In Business?

To assume is to make an ASS of U and Me, or is it?

We are told to never assume things, yet assumptions in business are unavoidable. We never have all the information we need, so assumptions become part of our strategies, decision making, and planning. So, Is it wrong to assume in things in business? And, how can we leverage our assumptions for growth? Both are good questions that are worth exploring.

What is an assumption? An assumption is a stated point of view, with limited factual rigour to support it. That’s it. As such, an assumption in its self isn’t inherently dangerous. So why is it wrong to assume things then?

There are two scenarios we need to be aware of when we consider the dangers of assumption. The first scenario is when we mistake our assumptions for facts. How often have you acted only to discover the facts you relied on weren’t as robust as you initially thought? It is most likely because these ‘facts you relied upon were hidden assumptions. The ice is always thick enough to walk on until it isn’t. It’s therefore still a good idea to test it before you venture onto the ice rather than to assume what usually is factually true. The adage to assume is to make an ASS of U and ME should really be to assume something to be factual when it’s not, and rely on this…