Getting specific around numbers is an awareness that continues to grow within me.
I still remember my 10th grade math teacher, Miss Stone, who always referred to things that happened “a hundred years ago.” Invariably, it meant something from two decades prior–or before us high-schoolers’ brief lives even existed. Now, hundreds of years later, I find myself using that phrase every ten seconds. Since the rise of the Internet and all it has brought with it, anything 20th Century does feel like eons ago.
It’s got me thinking about how and why we over-estimate numerical values. I rarely say I have 38 emails in my inbox. It’s “I’ve got a thousand emails.” Or, I won’t get specific and say I have to return 6 phone calls. No, it’s “I have to make a ton of calls.”
I was thinking of this today as time becomes more and more precious. I’ve gotten hundreds of new clients since the second or third week of September. Four, to be exact.
What is the correlation–for you–between what you say out loud and the truth?
Is it to make us feel more important? To pump up the numbers to foster our sense of significance? How much more trustworthy is the person who names the actual amount without exaggeration? There’s a ring of truth when it’s spoken, and that’s what I want to hear, no matter how low it goes.
Do you ever inflate your numbers, and if so, for what reason?
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September 26, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Pat
I had an interesting experience at work a couple of years ago: I would often say I’m “drowning” in work — meaning, I’m busy. I overheard a co-worker say: I’m “slammed” with work. I realized “drowning” sounded like I couldn’t keep up with the demands of the job, “slammed” sounded like OTHERS had handed off an incredible amount of work to her. Subtle but effective difference.
With the numbers game, I’ve also started to work on accuracy/truth. That way, when the real numbers DO start to creep upward, I know something may be out of balance or needs attention — like am I procrastinating returning emails/calls?
September 26, 2011 at 7:57 pm
janepollak
@Pat
What a great example of other ways we exaggerate. Language is such a powerful medium for our messages. Glad to see your awareness around this. Thanks for sharing it.
October 6, 2011 at 4:12 pm
tessa
@echookdigipub
I was intrigued when I saw the title of the post, and thought you were going to call out businesses who exaggerate their sales – it’s interesting to note that when Apple and Amazon talk about app downloads, they never clarify whether a download is paid or free – significant details in these difficult economic times.
October 6, 2011 at 4:18 pm
Julianne
Such a great observation!…or should I say ‘mildly important observation?’ (I’ll stick with ‘great.’) I am as guilty as anyone; however I only notice when others do it. I never trust any numbers my husband uses and it makes me not trust the point he is making. Poor him as I say ‘don’t exaggerate, give me the real number.’ This discussion will make me more aware of myself, I hope. On a similar vein few years ago I decided to tell only the absolute truth when needing to make an excuse/explanation for not being on time or not living up to an expectation. At first it was painful, as I was sure ‘they’ would be as disappointed in me as I was in myself. But I was surprised how accepting ‘they’ were of the truth; and the truth doesn’t come with nearly as much anxiety as that
little white lie.
October 8, 2011 at 6:23 pm
janepollak
@Tessa
I hesitate to point fingers, but thanks for doing the ‘dirty work’ for me. Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.
@Julianne
The truth is such a rare commodity. Glad to hear the acceptance that’s coming with it in your experience.