Jumping to Conclusions

Cinergy Coaching by Cinnie Noble

Jumping to conclusions can easily cause or perpetuate a conflict situation. This idiom – jumping to conclusions – refers to a tendency to assume something as negative when there is not necessarily a reason to do so. Conclusions may be about another person’s character, motives, attitude, and rationale. This sort of thinking may come from the habitual inclination to think the worst, to not trust ourselves or others, to let our insecurities and fears take over, and so on.
There are likely many other reasons for jumping to conclusions, too. For instance, our histories and experiences with similar situations or dynamics often fuel the continuing tendency to quickly make up our minds. Associated with this is often a tendency to be pessimistic and operate on assumptions that are not necessarily based on the reality of the situation.
This week’s blog considers the tendency to rush to conclusions about the other person when we sense discord. If there is a conflict about which you are jumping to one or more conclusions, the following ConflictMastery™ Quest(ions) may help to surface what lies beneath.

• What is a main conclusion you have determined about the other person in this conflict situation?
• On what are you basing this conclusion?
• How does that conclusion impact you?
• How real do you know your conclusion to be on a scale of 1-5, 5 being absolutely real (in terms of what you know for sure)?
• How does your conclusion affect the relationship?
• What missing pieces (if any) could throw some doubt on your conclusion?
• What other conclusions are possible?
• If the conclusion you determined is correct, what does that mean for you? The other person?
• If the conclusion is not correct, what does that mean for you? The other person?
• What is the best way you can think of to refrain from jumping to conclusions?
• What other ConflictMastery™ Quest(ions) may you add here?

                       

Cinnie Noble

Cinnie Noble is a certified coach (PCC) and mediator and a former lawyer specializing in conflict management coaching. She is the author of two coaching books: Conflict Management Coaching: The CINERGY™ Model and Conflict Mastery: Questions to Guide You. MORE >