Facts need to be brought back to the table
Iused to believe what journalists and nearly every professional said. But not anymore. There is a societal shift from fact to opinion, from reliability to subjective statements. The New York Times based a series of articles on the phrase “he considered”, while the Washington Post recently ran a story based upon a single anonymous letter, the contents of which were never corroborated. It’s alarming that such articles can shape a global narrative, yet be void of facts.
Similarly, I watched James Comey testify during his Senate Intelligence Committee hearing with keen interest. As the former FBI director was questioned about his dealings with US President Donald Trump, I was prepared to hear facts, the kind that would be admissible in a court of law. I gasped when a professional such as Comey — who knows that evidence must be beyond reasonable doubt — relied upon what was effectively a diary he had kept to record meetings. Fact or opinion?
When Comey dismissed the White House’s reasons for his firing as “lies plain and simple”, should we accept his statement as fact? Or should we demand that he provide evidence to support his opinion?
You should demand facts. Making decisions based upon an opinion can be costly and dangerous. The world is full of opinions, speculations and conjectures that hold businesses back.
I’m bothered by the ease with which leaders’ opinions are accepted as facts, without question. Take this example: when a managing director recently proposed a new business idea, the response she received was: “That will never work. Our customers aren’t interested.”
Left unchallenged, that opinion became a fact. I waited for the MD to ask how the conclusion had been reached. She didn’t. Nor did she ask how many customers the company had tried to sell the idea to, or even spoken with about the product. The MD is not alone — such acceptance is a worrying trend.
Opinion or fact?
How often do you accept opinions as fact?
A fact is something that has really occurred and is correct. Facts can be verified: they have names, dates and details. By contrast, an opinion is a view that you form about something, but it’s not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
The grounds that opinions rest on are insufficient to produce complete certainty as they’re the result of a person’s perspective, understanding, feelings, beliefs or desires.
When you hear people open statements with “everyone” or “no one”, be sceptical and know that you’re about to hear an opinion. Similarly, when impressions formed from loose comments made over dinner, or from scans of social media headlines, worm their way into the boardroom, be cautious and push for evidence.
Never accept phrases like “Everyone thinks we should slow down” or “No one is making money in this market” as reality. Common sense says they are not true. Rather, these kind of words are the quickest management escape.
I teach CEOs to use what’s called a fact board. Here’s how it works: When the debates and discussions start, write the word FACT on the top of a flip chart. Then, when your team starts throwing out their opinions, listen to see if they are fact or opinion.
Ask questions
Ask them, “Where did that come from? Who said it? What data supports it?” If they can answer you, then put it on the fact board. If not, let it go and move on. Words like think, feel, may and could usually signal an opinion.
You’re not responsible for what others say, but you’re accountable for what you do with it. When you act on an opinion, you put your decision-making as risk. Become fact-oriented.
Once upon a time, it was common practice to believe information that was presented as fact. Today, in business as in politics, that approach is no longer safe.
Recent events have reminded us of the need to verify before accepting. Borrow a practice from the courts: make sure what you act on can be proven beyond reasonable doubt.