What If Your Assumption Is Wrong?
When I was a personal trainer in Okinawa a couple of decades ago, the Risner Fitness Center organized an eight-week fitness challenge. Participants met Monday through Friday from 5:00-6:00 a.m. (yes, a.m.), trained in groups, and competed against other teams for prizes.
I was assigned a group of 15 people. When the first challenge began, I assumed everyone had joined for the same reason: They wanted to learn how to exercise, become healthier, and eventually feel confident working out on their own.
I was completely wrong.
One person needed to lose weight to pass a military physical fitness test.
Another had registered because her husband loved working out and wanted her to start exercising with him (nothing says romance like burpees at dawn).
Others simply needed a kickstart, some accountability, or a reason to get out of bed when most reasonable people were still asleep.
They were all arriving at the same place at 5:00 a.m., but they were not showing up for the same reason. My mistake was assuming I already knew what success looked like for everyone.
Assumptions close doors. They prevent us from discovering what motivates someone, what challenges they are facing, or what support would help them succeed. Curiosity opens those doors. Here are three ways leaders can replace assumptions with curiosity:
Ask before concluding. Instead of interpreting someone’s behavior based on what you think you know, ask questions. What are they trying to accomplish? What is getting in their way? What would help? (Revolutionary, I know.)
Invite different perspectives. Other people may see possibilities, risks, and solutions that you cannot see from your position.
Stay open. Curious leaders are willing to adjust their thinking when new information emerges. They do not see changing their minds as weakness. They recognize it as evidence that they are still learning.
What assumption might be limiting you?