As you probably already know, your brain will fill in the gaps when you don’t know all of the information. Quite often business coaches refer to this as “filling in the gaps.” In some scenarios, I call it “MSU,” which stands for “making (ahem) stuff up.”
As a busy entrepreneur, the act of “filling in the gaps” might be helpful during a busy work day or during a fast-paced wedding day. But, it can also have you making assumptions which can lead to unnecessary drama.
For example, you might assume a couple ghosted when you don’t hear from them after a wedding consultation. They might have decided to go in another direction OR they might have gotten busy OR they may have gone on vacation and they intended to follow up with you upon their return. HOW DO YOU AVOID THIS: During the consultation, ask the couple WHEN they intend to make a decision. Also, you can let the couple know that you intend to follow up. You can even take it a step further by letting them know when you intend to follow up and the number of times you intend to reach out to them. These actions will give both parties an opportunity to plan for a response.
Have you ever received an email or a text that left you feeling as if the sender was upset with you? And before you know it, you have had a full argument with the sender IN YOUR HEAD. HOW DO YOU AVOID THIS? One simple step. Pick up the phone. Easy peasy. Check in with the sender to ensure that everything is okay. More than likely, you misunderstood the sender’s intention.
Twelve years ago, I was meeting a bride and groom for a wedding consultation. The groom arrived first, but I didn’t know that it was the groom. He was Caucasian with tattoos, and he was dressed in a jacket, jeans, boots and his head was shaved. He walked toward me and I was immediately frightened because I judged him based on his looks. HOW DO YOU AVOID THIS: This is a tricky one because I am a firm believer that you should listen to your gut — And, you should choose safety over being polite. But, I was safe. So, I encourage you to get as much information as possible about a person before you meet with them. Ask them what they look like and ask them about the kind of vehicle they will arrive in. This is similar to the UBER policy of providing a photo of the car, the driver and the license plate.
So, there you have it, friends! How do you avoid “filling in the gaps” when you don’t have all of the information?
Love and Soul Always, Kawania
