Point Lookout: a free weekly publication of Chaco Canyon Consulting
Volume 21, Issue 18;   May 5, 2021: Pre-Decision Discussions: Facts

Pre-Decision Discussions: Facts

by

The purpose of some meetings is reaching decisions. Because decision making can be difficult, familiarity with the forms of contributions that can occur in such discussions is helpful. Their connection to facts is critical.
A working meeting

When a group must take a position or choose a direction, many groups follow a simple pattern. First they gather information, views, and options from their members or advisors. Then they choose an option. But group decisions, like personal decisions, aren't always purely rational. In many cases, pressure, tension, and emotion play important roles.

Following are descriptions of four patterns of pre-decision contributions selected for their relationship to facts and evidence.

Reports
A report is a contribution that contains an objective fact. Reports might (or might not) include citations — references to reliable sources that validate the fact or facts contained in the report.
There's no requirement that all members of the group accept the fact provided in the report. That is, even though a report is factual, and even though it includes citations, some members of the group might dispute the report. If the ensuing discussion is largely a debate about the validity of a fact supported by a citation, trouble looms. Unless the group can agree about what the facts are, and whether or not they are validated, the group will likely have difficulty reaching a decision that is both durable and compatible with group objectives.
Opinions
An opinion is a contribution that expresses a conclusion based on facts, but which lacks factual support sufficient for it to be regarded as entirely valid. Opinions aren't equivalent to "almost-reports," because the facts upon which opinions are based might not be directly useful for validating the conclusion expressed in the opinion.
To determine the persuasiveness of a contribution, we must distinguish opinions from reports, but opinions and reports can be difficult to distinguish. For example, an opinion and a report can be identical, word for word, if the report lacks a citation. One tactic that can help distinguish opinions from reports that lack citations is asking the report's contributor for citations. Even better: the group can adopt a norm that contributors of reports offer citations.
Beliefs
Beliefs are contributions that express what the contributor holds to be true on the basis of cultural values, personal values, or faith. An example of a widely held (and widely disputed) belief: "Software projects are always late and over budget because software engineering isn't really engineering."
Expressions of belief (or disbelief) in business meetings are more common than many realize, because they aren't always identified as beliefs. We tend to confuse beliefs with opinions, and both beliefs and opinions with reports. Reports are substantiated with facts. Opinions are partially substantiated with facts. Beliefs are unique in that their foundations are axiomatic. Beliefs have no factual substantiation, and to many who hold the beliefs, beliefs need no factual substantiation.
Some might regard as factual substantiation of a belief a set of specific facts that are consistent with the belief. Such contentions are misleading — they are not proof, though they might suggest a direction to search for a proof.
Hearsay
Hearsay is a report of a statement by another party. The fact in the report is that the cited party made the statement, but the statement that's being reported might or might not be factual. For example, person A might state that B told A that C was a licensed masseuse. That would not be evidence that C is a licensed masseuse, but it would be evidence that B told A that C was a licensed masseuse.
One risk of In face-to-face meetings we use
facial expressions and body language
to manage tensions that develop. In
virtual meetings, we depend more on
the nature of our contributions.
hearsay is that the group might mistakenly conclude that the statement delivered by hearsay is actually a validated fact. When that happens, the group can make an unwarranted decision. Unwarranted decisions can carry unbounded levels of risk.
A second risk arises because the term hearsay is a pejorative, having acquired a negative connotation from decades of use in popular courtroom dramas. When Group Member A identifies Group Member B's contribution as hearsay, that negative connotation can cause B to experience A's comment as an accusation about the integrity of both B and the third party B quoted. Avoid the term hearsay. Instead, ask for factual evidence: "Do we have corroboration for that?"

Reports, Opinions, Beliefs, and Hearsay provide the group rough guidance as to the direction in which a decision might lie. Next time I'll examine other kinds of contributions that evoke emotional responses that can affect group judgment.  Pre-Decision Discussions: Emotions Next issue in this series  Go to top Top  Next issue: Pre-Decision Discussions: Emotions  Next Issue

101 Tips for Effective MeetingsDo you spend your days scurrying from meeting to meeting? Do you ever wonder if all these meetings are really necessary? (They aren't) Or whether there isn't some better way to get this work done? (There is) Read 101 Tips for Effective Meetings to learn how to make meetings much more productive and less stressful — and a lot more rare. Order Now!

Your comments are welcome

Would you like to see your comments posted here? rbrenfHlRlTgqCIXkUHBTner@ChacrEuHRQPYVKkOucGfoCanyon.comSend me your comments by email, or by Web form.

About Point Lookout

This article in its entirety was written by a 
          human being. No machine intelligence was involved in any way.Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful, and that you'll consider recommending it to a friend.

This article in its entirety was written by a human being. No machine intelligence was involved in any way.

Point Lookout is a free weekly email newsletter. Browse the archive of past issues. Subscribe for free.

Support Point Lookout by joining the Friends of Point Lookout, as an individual or as an organization.

Do you face a complex interpersonal situation? Send it in, anonymously if you like, and I'll give you my two cents.

Related articles

More articles on Conflict Management:

A multi-function phoneDeniable Intimidation
Some people achieve or maintain power by intimidating others in deniable ways. Too often, when intimidators succeed, their success rests in part on our unwillingness to resist, or on our lack of skill. By understanding their tactics, and by preparing responses, we can deter intimidators.
A gray wolf. Animosity between wolves helps ensure balance.Animosity Patterns
Animosity between two people at work is often attributed to "personality clashes." While sometimes people can't get along, animosity can also be a tool for accomplishing strictly political ends. Here's a short catalog of some of its uses.
Theatrical poster for the 1944 film Double IndemnityPolitical Framing: Communications
In organizational politics, one class of toxic tactics is framing — accusing a group or individual by offering interpretations of their actions to knowingly and falsely make them seem responsible for reprehensible or negligent acts. Here are some communications tactics framers use.
A ray of light passing through and reflected from a prismWhen Somebody Throws a Nutty
To "throw a nutty" — at work, that is — can include anything from extreme verbal over-reaction to violent physical abuse of others. When someone exhibits behavior at the milder end of this spectrum, what responses are appropriate?
Six atoms in a Schrödinger "cat" statePreventing Toxic Conflict: I
Conflict resolution skills are certainly useful. Even more advantageous are toxic conflict prevention skills, and skills that keep constructive conflict from turning toxic.

See also Conflict Management and Conflict Management for more related articles.

Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout

Someone got the wrong information about which sneakers to wear on which feetComing April 30: On Planning in Plan-Hostile Environments: II
When we finally execute plans, we encounter obstacles. So we find workarounds or adjust the plans. But there are times when nothing we try gets us back on track. When this happens for nearly every plan, we might be working in a plan-hostile environment. Available here and by RSS on April 30.
A dramatization of a mobbing incidentAnd on May 7: Subject Matter Bullying
Most workplace bullying tactics have analogs in the schoolyard — isolation, physical attacks, name-calling, and rumor-mongering are common examples. Subject matter bullying might be an exception, because it requires expertise in a sophisticated knowledge domain. And that's where trouble begins. Available here and by RSS on May 7.

Coaching services

I offer email and telephone coaching at both corporate and individual rates. Contact Rick for details at rbrenfHlRlTgqCIXkUHBTner@ChacrEuHRQPYVKkOucGfoCanyon.com or (650) 787-6475, or toll-free in the continental US at (866) 378-5470.

Get the ebook!

Past issues of Point Lookout are available in six ebooks:

Reprinting this article

Are you a writer, editor or publisher on deadline? Are you looking for an article that will get people talking and get compliments flying your way? You can have 500-1000 words in your inbox in one hour. License any article from this Web site. More info

Follow Rick

Send email or subscribe to one of my newsletters Follow me at LinkedIn Follow me at Bluesky, or share a post Subscribe to RSS feeds Subscribe to RSS feeds
The message of Point Lookout is unique. Help get the message out. Please donate to help keep Point Lookout available for free to everyone.
Technical Debt for Policymakers BlogMy blog, Technical Debt for Policymakers, offers resources, insights, and conversations of interest to policymakers who are concerned with managing technical debt within their organizations. Get the millstone of technical debt off the neck of your organization!
Go For It: Sometimes It's Easier If You RunBad boss, long commute, troubling ethical questions, hateful colleague? Learn what we can do when we love the work but not the job.
303 Tips for Virtual and Global TeamsLearn how to make your virtual global team sing.
101 Tips for Managing ChangeAre you managing a change effort that faces rampant cynicism, passive non-cooperation, or maybe even outright revolt?
101 Tips for Effective MeetingsLearn how to make meetings more productive — and more rare.
Exchange your "personal trade secrets" — the tips, tricks and techniques that make you an ace — with other aces, anonymously. Visit the Library of Personal Trade Secrets.
If your teams don't yet consistently achieve state-of-the-art teamwork, check out this catalog. Help is just a few clicks/taps away!
Ebooks, booklets and tip books on project management, conflict, writing email, effective meetings and more.