People’s positions are often fed by underlying Assumptions. These often include many assumptions about the other party’s intentions. Even as an expert in this field, I have been humbled by how difficult it is to correctly guess another person’s needs and intentions. I have learned that it is critical to check with them rather than assume. Assumptions regarding others’ intentions are often incorrect and provide much of the fuel for conflicts. Our Judges are much more certain about the other person’s true needs and intentions than our data and experience warrants.
