I had dinner Friday night with John Tomlin, the COO with AAA South. So, I asked him about the services that AAA provides and from then on my mouth dropped (and stayed dropped). Like most of you, I thought that they provided roadside assistance…period.

But I was uninformed… from passport photos to discounts on eye glasses…their services and assistance go way beyond what I have would have ever imagined.

This of course is not my point though. What struck me about this conversation is that I recognized that I might have fallen into a trap. And that trap is of assuming too much. Assuming that people already know what me and my company can do for them.

As leaders/representative of companies, non-profits, etc. we must be disciplined to fight the urge to assume that people know how we can service/help them. We shouldn’t box people and opportunities in by not taking the time to truly understand the needs/wants/interests/etc.

Ask more questions, learn more…seek to understand then be understood. John thanks for unexpectedly bringing this to my attention.