Report on power of assumptions

Trust thought for today - How assumptions shape everything.

The Inclusion Imperative from IPSOS Mori

The power of assumptions was one of the most interesting aspects of my trust work. Our prior assumptions (based on psychology, experience, context, world view etc) shape how we see people and situations, which shapes how we respond, which shapes the way we treat people, which shapes how they respond back and on we go. A positive or negative loop.

As my primary school teacher said in 1972 "Hilary, do not assume. Assume, makes an Ass of You and Me."

("There won't really be a pandemic which affects everyone". "Putin will never attack Ukraine")

So to help us, here is an Ipsos Mori webinar which looks very interesting:

"Rethinking our assumptions:

Our next episode sees us pause to reflect on how we can do a better job at understanding the world around us in all its complexity and diversity.

This involves revisiting some of our established ways of working and thinking. As we do so, we need to ask ourselves new questions – and be very clear that we do not have all the answers.

Please join us as we reflect on what still needs to be done when it comes to building a more nuanced and empathetic understanding of individuals’ needs and aspirations."