Charitable assumptions
“Make the charitable assumption.” Unreasonable Hospitality
To make the charitable assumption is to assume the best in others, not the worst.
“For as long as I can remember my parents taught me to look for the best in people. I think this is a very important quality in a leader too.” Richard Branson
Leaders that approach situations with open hearts, believing in people, set the culture. Likewise, people that make charitable assumptions about leaders create positive momentum in an organization, stop the negative coffee talk.
Approaching others with charitable assumptions means having grace at the tip of one’s tongue.
Unfortunately, the tendency, human nature, is the opposite of charitable assumption, assuming the worst in people, jumping to conclusions. Pride leads us to believe that we understand why things happened, and we tend to accentuate the negative in people. One of my prior corporate trainers called this “msu” (making stuff up). “Making stuff up” creates silos, glass ceilings, a political culture, and a lack of personal growth.
Charitable thinking is not a swing thought for business alone.
How many times do you learn about a situation with your spouse or family, have a pre-determined reason for why it happened, all before having any conversation? We don’t know the details, but we know the reason it happened.
Perhaps a situation in your business, with your spouse, or with a friend comes to mind where you did not make the charitable assumption. Maybe you need to change the momentum.
The grace door is always open.
Treat others the way you want to be treated. Build others up.
Scripture, Matthew 22:36-40
Impact others. Live generously.
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