Making assumptions can get a bad rap.
When we assume the worst, we run the risk of the outcome being self-fulfilled.
And when we assume too much, we sometimes overlook the fundamentals, the easy, or the obvious.
But making assumptions can be helpful, too.
For example, when trying to establish a first-time visit with a donor, it is safe to assume that the donor might believe the purpose of your visit is to ask them for a gift or an increase in their giving.
Or, when inviting a busy community leader to serve on your campaign steering committee, it might be safe to assume they might object based on how little time they have.
As advancement leaders, our work is not simply to complete the task of inviting, or asking, or reaching out. Instead, our work is to be as sagaciously encouraging and motivating as possible so that more people say, “yes!”
To do that work well, sometimes we need to assume why they, first, may say, “no.”
