I came across this story today:
Thomas Edison is reported to have tested anyone he was thinking about hiring. He would invite them to have a bowl of soup with them. Anyone adding salt without first tasting the soup failed his test. He didn’t want anyone making decisions based upon unfounded assumptions.
I have no idea if it’s true, but I sure find myself drawn to it. It seems to me that mediators should generally be able to pass the Salt Test. And we can help our clients do the same.
Thanks to the terrific blog, The Marketing Mix, for the story.
Last 5 posts by Tammy Lenski
- The Agile Creativity of the Skilled Mediator - August 16th, 2007
- Woodbury Faculty Member Helps Build Bridge Between US, Arab and Muslim Students - August 16th, 2007
- Musings on Being a Mediation Road Warrior - July 19th, 2007
- Accept the Offer and Move It Forward - May 15th, 2007
- The Self-Conscious Mediator - February 27th, 2007
2 responses so far ↓
Yvonne (Eva) Zimet // Feb 15th 2007 at 2:24 pm
What a timely reminder about assumptions. It was just a day or two ago I told my children:
“Test my assumptions, not my patience.”
The statement was almost rhetorical — an out-loud reminder to myself that my thinning patience might have something to do with what I understood about the given situation. And not rhetorically; to invite them into the field — to help, to play, to turn a nose-dive into an ascent.
Assumptions can be a big blindspot; anything entering into the blindspot vanishes and getting it back out can be a matter of groping in the dark, relying on other senses or hey, blind faith that something’s in there.
Deconstructing assumptions within oneself is useful and at times even painful. (Try recording yourself for a day — watch for knee-jerk reactions.) In conflict management work, dismantling assumptions in others involves tact and diplomacy. I’ve heard,”Didn’t you know that was in the contract?” “How could you NOT know what that meant?” “It was crystal clear.” “You lied.” Treated gently and considerately, with sincere curiosity, assumptions yield huge amounts of information.
I love discovering assumptions, since they often are the key to a treasure trove of communication and respect.
Tammy Lenski // Feb 15th 2007 at 10:35 pm
Hey there, Yvonne! I really like your phrase, “Test my assumptions, not my patience”! It’s perfect. And your thoughts about assumption-uncovering are a great addition to my post…thanks for visiting AND taking the time to comment.
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