Assumption is the lowest level of knowledge and it is certainly dangerous. Working on the field, you suddenly find yourself in all kinds of unpleasant situations which came about due to an assumption someone made along the line.
We must never assume. It is dangerous.
Never assume you have an ally or can count on the support of people unless you have certainly taken the time to properly probe and verify everything.
Most assumptions are caused by overconfidence and sometimes a little bit of arrogance.
You want to avoid both cases. I prefer to over-flog a matter by talking and talking and talking about it until it is clear to every single party what exactly the deal is and the expectations and deliverables expected from everybody.
Never assume you will get funding from anyone, verify first.
Never assume someone will give you their platform, ask first.
Never assume people will endorse your work, engage them first and be sure.
Never assume people are on your team, you have to be sure.
Never assume people know what the vision and mission is, discuss and discuss until they cannot get it twisted again.
Never assume your idea is the best, you must submit it to the rigors of scrutiny from skeptics and believers alike (you learn from both extremist views)
Never assume you are in a relationship of any kind, get it defined! What exactly are we doing? What is the deal??
Better to ask a thousand times and be sure than to assume it has been sorted and no need to ask at all.
