Don't Assume Too Fast
- David Nagai
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
We make assumptions every day. Often, they help us save time and energy. But when we assume too quickly or too often, those shortcuts can create problems that cost far more than what we were trying to save.
Some wrong assumptions have little consequence. Others can cause a storm – or sink a ship. It benefits us to manage our assumptions as thoughtfully as possible.
Let’s look at five snapshots of situations where wrong assumptions were costly.
Assumption 1 – Being Late Means Poor Character
When a key deadline was missed, the team’s frustration landed on one person. The assumption was simple and familiar: if someone is late, they must be careless, unreliable or disorganized. Trust quietly dropped, and side conversations began.
Weeks later, the truth came out. That colleague had been quietly fixing a serious mistake made by another department to protect the project and the team’s reputation. They didn’t ask for help because they assumed taking responsibility would reflect well on them.
The real failure wasn’t the missed deadline. The first failure was the assumption that behavior always reflects character. The second failure was the assumption that helping silently without communicating or getting support was the right thing to do.
Assumption 2 – Direct Feedback Means Frustration
A Japanese team began working with a Western manager who gave frequent, clear, and direct feedback. Comments like “This part isn’t working yet” or “We need to improve this section” were delivered openly in meetings, without softening language or extended context.
The team assumed this meant the manager was unhappy or losing confidence in them. In reality, the opposite was true. The manager gave direct feedback because he felt invested in the team’s success and believed they had more potential.
He thought clarity was respectful. A sign of trust became a source of stress for the team, and emotional energy was spent managing feelings instead of improving the work.
Assumption 3 – Apparent Consensus Means Final Decision
After a meeting in Japan where everyone nodded and no objections were raised, a Western manager moved forward immediately. Tasks were assigned, timelines shared, and emails were sent confirming next steps.
The assumption was that visible agreement meant the decision was final. In this context, however, the meeting was about overall alignment (agreement, clear expectations), not a final conclusion. The real discussion was still happening privately among stakeholders.
Acting too quickly disrupted the process and made the manager appear impatient rather than efficient. Politeness from the Japanese was mistaken for commitment by the Westerner. The Westerner’s efficient execution ended up useless and clueless (ignorant).
Assumption 4 – Agreement Equals Full Understanding
A leader presented a new strategy and explained it carefully. Everyone could repeat the logic and summarized the goals. With no visible objections, the leader assumed alignment.
What was missed was how differently people imagined execution. Some expected a slow pilot (test, experiment), others immediate rollout (start, launch) at scale (big, full size). Some defined success as learning, others as hitting strict targets.
The words were shared, but the mental pictures were not. Understanding existed on the surface, while agreement on speed, scale (size), roles, and end goals did not.
Assumption 5 – Professionalism Means Ignoring Emotions
An organization prided itself on being rational and professional. Meetings were calm, language neutral, and emotional reactions quietly discouraged. The assumption was that removing emotion would lead to clearer thinking.
Instead, the existing emotions became indirect. Frustration showed up as silence, delays, or passive resistance. Concerns were softened until urgency disappeared, and real risks went unnamed. By equating (identifying, connecting) professionalism with emotional distance, the organization confused composure (calmness) with honesty – and struggled to address problems before they became serious.
Perhaps the boiling hot emotions that get bottled up inside us actually help us – if managed and expressed appropriately.
Conclusion
These snapshots remind us that assumptions made without careful thought can have serious consequences. Organizations are made up of diverse humans with shifting contexts, cultures, relationships, communication styles, and emotions. Until robots replace us, we should be cautious about assuming we fully understand complex and nuanced human situations.
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