The One Assumption Great Leaders Never Make

Leaders make decisions every day about people and process and everything in between, but this one decision separates great leaders from the herd.

You’ve probably heard people say, “Don’t jump to assumptions.” And in most cases, this is a valuable rule to live by, especially in the world of leadership and business. After all, a decision made as a result of a faulty supposition can have impossibly negative consequences.

However, people in leadership positions have to make assumptions based on the information they have, which may or may not always provide a complete or clear picture. So, how should a leader go about making assumptions that can lead to positive outcomes and avoid the potentially disastrous ones?

That answer can be best summarized by following one important rule when it comes to making postulations. Here is the one assumption that great leaders never make.

Great Leaders Never Assume the Worst… In People

A lot can be said for analyzing different scenarios based on the worst possible outcomes. Preparing for the impact of unfortunate events is the foundation for effective risk management, and that is something different than assuming the worst in people, especially those that work for you.

A Leadership Mindset

Harvard University cites research from Executive Coach Marilee Adams that found there are two different mindsets among leaders, and it shapes how they make decisions. Adams found that leaders are either of “the learner” mindset or “the judger” mindset.

“The Learner Mindset”

Leaders who possess “the learner” mindset are solutions-oriented and want to understand how something can work or discover something new.

“The Judger Mindset”

Leaders who possess “the judger” mindset are more reactive and tend to look for reasons something went wrong. They look for someone to blame.

A Leader of People

Leadership styles vary from person to person, but a quality that great leaders share is that they are only as great as the people who they rely on to get the job done. Meaning, behind every great leader is an even greater collective of people working together.

Leaders who surround themselves with smart, capable people – and listen to their ideas, constructive criticisms, solutions, and overall counsel will not be quick to assume fault in others, point fingers, or react negatively toward their employees. These leaders will avoid making false assumptions and be able to focus on the most pertinent pieces of information to make sound decisions.

3 Tenants of the Un-Assuming Leader

  1. Listen Often

One of the most formidable qualities of a great leader is his or her ability to really listen to others and understand the information being shared. Listening allows you to suspend your assumptions, or at the very least keep them to yourself, until you attain enough information to draw a conclusion.

  1. Ask The Right Questions

With strong listening skills comes thoughtful questioning skills, because asking the right questions and processing the responses helps you overcome any assumptions you make as you gather information. Take time to ask open-ended questions that you do not have a preconceived answer to already.

  1. Be Open-Minded

By listening often and asking the right questions, a great leader minimizes his or her own bias and can remain as objective and open-minded as possible. After all, just because you are in a leadership position, doesn’t mean you have all the answers. But it does say you know exactly how to get the answers.

Conclusion

The best leaders among us never assume the worst in the people who work for them. On the contrary, exceptional leaders believe the best in their employees. They invite people’s best thinking and consequently unleash their employees’ highest potential (Harvard Business Review).

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