Assumptions

Have you ever heard the saying "assumptions make an ass out of you and me"? I see scads of evidence indicating the truth of that saying on a daily basis. They can be a source of missed opportunity and conflict in your dental practice.

Assumptions are a part of life and serve us as well as get in our way. Awareness of what they are is key.

We make judgements and assumptions based on our perception or context, which stems from our unique combination of attitudes, opinions, beliefs and values based on our experiences. We see people and situations through our eyes, our context window and our assumptions and judgements affect how we respond or react.

I will never forget the awareness I had of this when, as a homework assignment, I spent 15 minutes in a grocery store noting my assumptions. The assumptions include "she's rich", "he's unhappy", "they don't know how to eat properly", "potatoes must be on sale", "that product must be good". I was astounded at the number of assumptions I made in a short time and what they were based on - hats, facial expressions, clothes, groceries!

The awareness has allowed me to identify what assumptions I am making and "hunch" assumptions others are making. I then have the choice of checking them out with a simple "I" statement such as "I am assuming you expected me to be home before now. Is that correct?" The use of effective communication skills while communicating is also critical in avoiding the hassles, headaches, conflicts and missed opportunities that assumptions cause.

How many times in a dental office do we consciously or unconsciously assume that our client does or does not want a treatment option or that they can or cannot afford a treatment option or assume a co-worker knows what we want, need or expect?

Take the time to identify the assumptions you are making. Try checking a few out. Be willing to be curious and change your context. You will be amazed at the results!