The Most Dangerous Assumption Leaders Make

Every organization runs on assumptions.

Some are explicit. Most are invisible. The most dangerous ones are the assumptions leaders stop questioning.

The belief that “things are fine” because nothing is obviously broken is one of them.

Comfort Is Not Confirmation

The absence of a crisis doesn’t equal health.

Many organizations operate for years without major disruption, slowly accumulating inefficiencies, misalignment, and risk. Everything appears fine—until it isn’t.

By the time problems become visible, they’re expensive to fix.

Where Assumptions Hide

Common unchecked assumptions include:

• “Our people understand the priorities”

• “Everyone knows how decisions get made”

• “This process works well enough”

• “We’ll address it when it becomes a problem”
  

These assumptions persist because they’re rarely challenged directly.

The Role of Intentional Review

Strong leaders create space to question what’s working and what’s simply tolerated.

That means:

• Revisiting processes that haven’t been examined in years

• Asking uncomfortable questions about effectiveness

• Looking beyond results to understand how results are achieved
  

Review isn’t about criticism. It’s about relevance.

Small Assumptions, Big Consequences

Most breakdowns don’t come from dramatic failures. They come from small assumptions left untested for too long.

Leaders who routinely challenge their own assumptions catch issues early, when correction is still inexpensive.

The Discipline of Curiosity

The best leaders remain curious, even when things seem fine.

They know that today’s success can hide tomorrow’s risk. And they understand that vigilance, not complacency, sustains performance.