This is the fourth in our series of question types: the speculative question. “What if?” can be particularly tough to answer. People tend to lean toward reacting by saying things like, “No one has a crystal ball” or “Who knows where this might lead? Nobody can predict the future,” leaving people who ask the question sincerely with more worry and concern. What ifs are typically related to problems and focus on more doom and gloom. What if more people come down with that virus? Quite often the best way to respond to this type of “what if” is by saying, “I don’t deal in what ifs. I only deal in what I know for sure and what I know right now is …” What ifs can lead people to idle speculation that can come back to haunt.

My basic rule is simply don’t speculate. Unless you are discussing something of a positive nature and your livelihood does not depend on a solid answer, this is a question type to detour.

Juxtaposed to that, there are many what ifs that are valid questions and need good, thoughtful responses. What if we don’t get any more business? Will there be layoffs? Company execs don’t like these kinds of questions but honesty is the best policy — couched, of course, with optimism. “Any business needs to maintain or build to keep people employed and that is our focus, but if we do need to cut costs we will have to look at everything, including layoffs. What I can promise you is that you will be kept informed as to how we are doing and how you can help.” At this point you would want to move into things people can do to help support the business so you take away the helpless feeling and transform it into hope. Employees are smart; they know where trouble is brewing and it is insulting to ignore their questions. Just don’t add to the speculation. I know a manager who inflamed a similar situation by saying, “I don’t know what is happening, but I wouldn’t be making any big expenditures right now.” Yikes. If that doesn’t get the water cooler bubbling, I don’t know what would.

Speculation also leads to guesswork answers that become factoids. Factoid is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as “an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact.” When I worked with companies during labour negotiations speculating about what either side was contemplating was often part of the strategy. Explaining complex salary and benefits that include full and part-time people, wide variations of compensation based on length of employment or seniority became a game of creating a number that would stick in people’s minds – good or bad. The company wanted to demonstrate they were being fair, and union/employee reps to show more was needed. As one of my clients would say, “You get the union you deserve,” and how you communicate during negotiations often sets that stage.

Here is a telltale sign someone is about to speculate: “I am really not sure of that number but I expect …” Stop right there. If you don’t know, don’t guess. One of my all time favourites was from a client who was asked by a reporter how many retail locations they owned. The client was not sure. He answered 33 or 34. The reporter quickly retorted, “Well, if you won’t miss one, can I have it?” Some answers you should just know. He appeared quite insensitive to the employees of those locations.

Home life is full of speculative questions, some just harmless and fun. What if we win the lottery? Enjoy those ones and bridge the other ones to information you know for sure.

Next up – Rumour-Mongering: The Bad Little Bird.