Assumptions are the quiet killers of efficiency. A recent situation reminded me how dangerous it can be not to ask questions and just rely on what we think we know.

In our business, we manage 750+ SKUs, grouped by availability:
✅ Over 600 SKUs: Available with a 2-week notice
🕒 68 SKUs: Available with 3-month notice
⏳ 90 SKUs: Vague ETA (anywhere from 1 week to 3 months)

Our procurement manager, whose key KPI is minimising back orders, faced two problems, both rooted in assumptions.

🔹 Problem 1: The vague-ETA products became popular.
Suddenly, we were flooded with orders for items that had no clear delivery window.
The surprising part? ⚡ No one ever asked if it was possible to get these faster. Everyone just assumed it wasn’t an option. It turns out, with better planning and communication, we could’ve improved their availability significantly.

🔹 Problem 2: Low-priced bestsellers missing for weeks.
Even though they belonged to the “2-week supply” group, these items missed three consecutive deliveries.
Why? ⚡ Because everyone trusted the automated reports from our system without question. No one manually checked. No one asked, “Is this report actually showing everything it should?”

✒️ Here’s the key takeaway:

❇️ Even the most advanced systems won’t save you if the input is flawed. No matter how smart your ERP is, if your assumptions are wrong, your outcomes will be too.
Success is built on facts!
High-performing teams ask questions, verify assumptions, and don’t take “it’s always been this way” for an answer. And the foundation for this mindset? A company culture that encourages curiosity over quiet compliance.
Let’s normalise asking the “obvious” questions. Because when you don’t ask, you assume. And when you assume… well, you know the rest.

How does your team handle uncertainty or incomplete information?
Do you encourage questions, even if they challenge the status quo?