We see them everywhere, templates, wireframes and patterns to follow. The basics are there, just fill in the blanks.
And those forms, guides and templates save us time and cognitive load by helping avoid having to start from scratch every time we need to complete a task.
However there is a dark side to these useful tools. They condition us to focus on the blanks - the gaps - not the whole process. What if the process isn't fit for your purpose and you only fill in the blanks? Problem.
And that got me thinking about filling in the blanks as a leader.
As a leader we need to listen to understand, listen to avoid making bad assumptions, listen to avoid bad decisions, listen to show empathy and listen to build our relationships with our clients, colleagues and team members alike.
So if we are listening and filling in the blanks without asking, filling in the blanks without confirming we run a major risk of getting it wrong. And last time I checked no one is paid to get it wrong...