Improve business by avoiding asumptions

Sceptical face Are your assumptions costing you business? Often, misunderstandings, dramas, upsets and unnecessary worry in life and business are created by assumptions not actual facts.

To illustrate the point, let me tell you about an assumption that worked really well for me, but was devastating for a colleague.

Long ago, I was real estate editor on the Sydney Daily Telegraph - not a particularly prestigious position in the world of finance and pretty low down in the financial media influence pecking order. I was invited to a boardroom lunch/briefing by one of the big banks to introduce a new head of communications to the media. I wore a business suite and silk blouse. Not power dressing , but certainly appropriate business dressing.

Another journalist from a major newspaper - whose reputation and influence in financial reporting was considerable, arrived in jeans and a crocheted poncho.

The organiser of the lunch obviously didn't know who was who in the media and there was also no pre-determined seating plan. Guess who got directed to sit next to the new head of communications? And guess who was placed at the far end of the table?

Now this lesson about assumptions goes much deeper than physical appearance when people first come in contact with you or your business. Take a step back and consider what assumptions do you want people to make and what assumptions or judgements they might make could be detrimental to creating a business relationship.

These judgements will be made not only from your appearance but your stationery, your work premises, your initial phone contact, even your car. No rights or wrongs - just be clear on what you might be putting out there to create an assumption.

Being as judgmental as the next person when it comes to first impressions here are a couple of the assumptions, personal appearances aside, I make about a business on first contact.

A flimsy business card printed off a computer has me assume that this person is a very new business and can't afford or hasn't got around to getting a decent business card.
Contracted answering services that are intended to create the impression of an office and staff but can't answer the simple question "when will they be back". I much prefer an honest message bank.

Now before you jump up and down and say "That's not necessarily true! They could be really good business people to deal with." Remember, these are just my assumptions based on first impression.

Conversely, making assumptions about others can be just as dangerous in assessing whether somebody is going to be a good client or customer - or, bottom line - can they afford your product or service.

My husband and I were visiting exclusive but relaxed Aspen a few years ago. We hesitated before going into a very high-class luggage shop to browse because we were looking really scruffy in shorts and thongs. Our host, an Aspen resident, assured us it wouldn't be a problem. The Aspen shop staff are so aware that the scruffy person might turn out to be an off duty tycoon or a film star with oodles of money to spend, they are nice to everybody, regardless of appearance. (They've also most likely learned the lesson from Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman!)

The lesson from all this – don’t assume, get the facts. Dig deeper than first impressions and have a good look at what assumptions suppliers and customers might be making about you.

By the way, the head of communications at that bank became a good friend and one of my best contacts!

Wendy Buckingham is a writer, speaker, coach and author of the Ready Set Goal Series. She is also co-owner of Class One Productions, a leading Australian producer of audio/video programs for business education.

3 comments | Add your own

Great point Wendy. The world - especially the business world - saves time by forming quick impressions of people and putting them in neat boxes based on assumptions. Even though this is defintiely no way to assess true character or skill, it just seems to be the way it works. As you say, you don't need to buy into all this at all, but regardless it is worth being aware of the assumptions others may make and why. Peter Crocker from Flying Solo | Read my articles
I am a Business Analyst for a large company. On every project I've worked on (and had to provide the documentation for), I have always made sure that the project assumptions have been captured and agreed upon before anything else. You would not believe the discussion this can generate! When there is more than one busines unit contributing, it seems each one has a different interpretation. I have had projects put on hold and even cancelled due to the assumptions not meeting the business case. My point is, when dealing with a client on any scale, getting the assumptions down on paper and agreed on up front can prevent a severe backlash later. It's not just what you can see but what's in everyone's head! Judi from Sydney
Great article Wendy, which reminds me of an old saying - "don't assume - you might make an ASS out of U and ME" Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles

3 comments | Add your own

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