Wrong Assumptions? : Real Workplace Experience (LOH #309)

Tell us about a time when someone made a wrong assumption about you, without knowing the facts. How did you deal with it? How did it make you feel?

Hello #ladiesofhive, I trust your weekend went well. Mine was too short, but I utilised every moment to rest and refuel. I even went to a party. That'll be a story for another day.

Dadaworks

An assumption can be defined as something one believes to be true without enough evidence to confirm it beyond reasonable doubt. Assumptions most often are not real. They are like the mirage one sees when driving in hot sun that looks like water in the middle of the road; however, as you drive, it keeps moving forward without being there.

Once upon a time, while performing an oversight function at my workplace, an employee made a wrong assumption about me without proof. The employee was given a task with a deadline, which they missed without completing the task. When the issue was reported to me, I contacted the employee and asked salient questions. The employee felt I deliberately wanted to indict and make things difficult for the team because, during the feedback session, I already informed them that they scored low in their performance evaluation for the task.

I felt bad about it because my intention was to have an honest discussion about their challenges with the task and how to salvage things through last-minute damage control to limit costs and control lost time. I also had to keep my emotions in check, noting that responding emotionally may cause more damage.

At that point, I ended the meeting and rescheduled it for another time when we were able to think straight and speak frankly without flaring up. They laid out their challenges, and I explained the reason for the questions. I also recounted the scope of the job and how missing the deadline has not only affected them but also the factory and the organisation. How they have lost the rewards pegged to the kPI (key performance indicators)

Employees Feedback Session

At that juncture, they realised my position and felt bad about the wrong assumptions. At that meeting, we cleared up the confusion and the wrong notions and agreed on how to move forward to reduce the impact of the time lost.

That experience taught me about emotional intelligence and how a small fire kindled by assumption can escalate into a blaze that can burn down the whole organisation if not managed well. I also realised how clear communication and a fair hearing can ease tension in the workplace.

In the end, I understood that I can work through such a challenging situation with an open mind, clear communication, and patience rather than an outburst of negative emotions.

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