Innocent Until Proven Guilty: Challenging Our Everyday Assumptions (Part 1)

linnearader
May 5
7 min read

The Assumptions We Make Daily

Are you…

A police officer who doesn’t arrest the “right” bad guys?

A public works employee flagging traffic who is making someone late for work?

A schoolteacher who graded their child’s test “wrong?”

A fire fighter that only saves basements?

A road worker leaning on a shovel?

A woman that answers the phone and doesn’t know anything?

A public organization that doesn’t use the funds you receive the right way?

An elected official that just doesn’t care?

A Judge that imposes the wrong sentence?

A Township that charges too much in taxes?

An employee that just sits at a desk all day?

A…I could go on, and on, and on

Are you a person that makes these statements regularly? Spoiler alert…you might be both, sorry if that stings a bit.

Have we all heard the sayings about assumptions? Can I assume that we have? (For purposes of this post I can’t assume anything, that would defeat the purpose!) Here are just a few assumption quotes google outlined for us:

"When you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME" - Unknown
"Assumption is the mother of all mistakes" - Eugene Lewis Fordsworthe
"Assumptions are the termites of relationships" – Henry Winkler
"Assumptions are made, and most assumptions are wrong." – Albert Einstein
“When you're surrounded by people who share the same set of assumptions as you, you start to think that's reality.” – Emily Levine

I will go out on an assumption limb and say that each of us have at least heard one of these quotes before. If we take heed by any of these quotes, why do we keep making assumptions?

Well…because assumptions are easier than reality. While that is quite true, I have a few more detailed reasons than that for you today.

Why Our Brains Love Assumptions

In the world of assumption, patterns are used to recognize what happened in the past and apply the thought process to the new situation. — In a world of assumptions...

Efficiency: The Brain's Information Filter

Our brains take in something like 11 million pieces of information every second. Yes, I said 11 M I L L I O N. But our brains can only process approximately 50. This means that there is absolutely no feasible way we can take in everything surrounding us, so assumptions help us filter out what is important or not important to us. Assumptions become a filter to keep our brain from being overloaded.

Pattern Recognition: When Past Experiences Deceive Us

Back to our brains, our brains are wired to recognize patterns. In the world of assumption, patterns are used to recognize what happened in the past and apply the thought process to the new situation.

Take this example in:

When I was a child, my family was making homemade pizzas one night for dinner. The pizza sauce was in the metal container, like a soup can. Unlike today’s version of soup cans, back when I was a child, you had to use a can opener, so that’s what I did. I used the can opener and as I finished going around, the lid popped up. When it popped up it promptly popped right into my pointer finger and sliced it open from the first to the second joint. I’m not going to go into how it hurt or how I still to this day have a scar on that finger that I’ve looked at multiple times while typing this little paragraph!

So, what in the world does opening a can and slicing your finger have to do with patterns of assumptions? Thank you for asking, let me tell you. EVERYTHING. From that day forward (even to now) when I see a metal can opener, I can feel the slice into my finger all the way from my head to my toes. My whole body reacts. My brain recognizes that single, innocent (debatable) kitchen tool and attaches the assumption that if I use it, I’m going to slice open a finger again.

Not only this, but when I became a Pampered Chef Consultant many years ago and found their can opener that opens cans with smooth edges, I was excited and terrified all at once. In training they showed me I could rub my finger along that edge and not get cut. I watched them do it. And that SAME whole-body reaction still happened. I could see with my own two eyes that it was real, but my brain recognized what happened that one singular time and attached it to every other time.

I am happy to report that I did finally get past my fear and I’m able to enjoy using my Pampered Chef can opener now without cringing from my head to my toes. However, I won’t lie and say I don’t glance at my pointer finger every time still.

These patterns our brains recognize when they see similarities in something that happened previously can help but also hurt. Our brains will see those similarities and fill in the unknown with assumptions (like every can opener trying to hurt me).

Comfort in Certainty: Filling the Gaps with Fiction

As humans we seem to struggle with ambiguity or being open to more than one interpretation. Ambiguity makes many people uncomfortable. To reduce this uncomfortable feeling, people will make assumptions to fill in the gaps left by ambiguity. In short, if you don’t know, it’s easier to assume than to figure out the actual information.

The Need for Closure: Inventing Explanations

People MUST know things. Very few people can walk away from something without knowing why, how, or what is going on. We have a fundamental need to reach conclusions. Like the reduction in uncertainty, when we don’t know, we will utilize assumptions to feel like we understand, even when we don’t actually have the complete information.

Real-World Examples: Assumptions in Action

Let’s go back to some of our assumptions and see which of these reasons were in play.

Case Study: Public Works and Traffic Delays

A public works employee flagging traffic who is making someone late for work?

Efficiency – We see the public works employee delaying us, not improving the road.

Pattern – When we see the orange signs and people flagging, we feel we always get delayed, so it’s going to be the same this time.

Uncertainty – We don’t know why they are out here working, instead of assuming positive intent, we assume that it’s to waste our time and make them late.

Closure – We “know” there was a better time they could have done this work and not caused you a delay.

So, what is the reality of this situation? Up ahead there’s a sink hole that developed overnight and someone drove into it. Public Works responded immediately, but due to the emergency nature of the issue, no detour route could be established. Crews are diligently working to get the road fully reopened ASAP and are moving traffic as quickly as possible with limited delays.

Case Study: The "Lazy" Road Worker

Public works is near and dear to my heart, so we are doing another one that I’ve heard about far too often.

A road worker leaning on a shovel?

Efficiency – They are leaning on a shovel; they are lazy and stupid.

Pattern – Every time I pass a work zone, someone is standing around.

Uncertainty – I have no idea what they are doing, but they must be wasting time.

Closure – Governmental employees are just lazy.

Reality of this situation? The road worker just got done hand digging around a high-powered gas line. She has been digging for 3 hours and just stopped to get some water and breathe for 5 minutes before getting back to digging.

I will be honest that this one drives me CRAZY. Drivers have no idea if they are waiting for another piece of equipment, material to get delivered, etc. They don’t know the details, fill in assumed details, and get mad.

Case Study: Township Tax Frustrations

Our final example is, a Township that charges too much in taxes.

Efficiency – I got my tax bill, it’s $X and it’s too high.

Pattern – On the news all I ever see is people arguing about how high taxes are.

Uncertainty – I don’t know how to read my tax bill, I don’t want to seem ignorant, so the focus is on the total.

Closure – There is no reason in the world for my taxes to be this high.

The reality of this situation is that as residents, we were unhappy that our park had deteriorated, our roads needed improvement, and we wanted to add a splash pad. The Township surveyed the community to get the ideas for the park improvements, multiple public hearings were held on the road improvements that are now planned, and you spearheaded the splash pad project and gathered the funds to build it for the Township without planning for the maintenance costs.

Moving Beyond Assumptions: First Steps

Back to our original question, are you someone that has assumptions regularly made about you or your work? Are you the one making the assumptions? OR are you both? Most of us fall into both categories at different times.

When you catch yourself making assumptions, try these practical approaches:

Pause before reacting: Give yourself a moment to recognize when you're filling in gaps with assumptions.
Ask genuine questions: Instead of assuming the road worker is lazy, consider what circumstances might explain what you're seeing.
Challenge your patterns: Recognize when past experiences are coloring your current interpretations.
Seek alternative perspectives: Talk to people with different backgrounds and experiences to expand your understanding.

Choosing Curiosity Over Judgment

Approaching situations with curiosity rather than judgment not only leads to better outcomes but also reduces the stress that comes from negative assumptions. — Approaching situations with curiosity

Assumptions often feel efficient in the moment, but they come with hidden costs to our relationships, workplace efficiency, and community trust. Approaching situations with curiosity rather than judgment not only leads to better outcomes but also reduces the stress that comes from negative assumptions.

In Part 2 of this series, we'll explore deeper psychological patterns behind persistent assumptions, examine how assumptions can become systemic in organizations, and provide a complete framework for replacing assumptions with evidence-based thinking. We'll also look at how leaders can create cultures where questioning assumptions becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Until then, reach out and ask questions, and if you're going to assume anything, assume the best of intentions. Small shifts in how we approach uncertainty can create ripples of positive change throughout our interactions.

And, as always, carry social kindness with you everywhere you go. The world needs you and your positive mindset!