Consulting Journal: Words

Words: 'Convinced'

by David Blakey

Are you convinced? Have you been convinced? Are you certain? Find out.

[Monday 17 September 2001]

How often do you read in a consultant's promotional material that they are ‘convinced’ of something?

They can be ‘convinced that their methodology offers the best approach’; or ‘convinced that e-commerce will mature’ or whatever. But how have they reached this state of being convinced?

An analogy

This mercury is liguid.
That iron is molten.

Assuming that we're under normal conditions of temperature and pressure, then the natural state of mercury is to be liquid. Under these conditions, the natural state of iron is solid. When we have heated it sufficiently so that it becomes liquid, we usually describe iron as ‘molten’. It is certainly ‘liquid’, but ‘molten’ tells us that something has happened to make it liquid. The word ‘liquid’ describes a state. The word ‘molten’ describes a state that results from an action.

Misuse

What consultants are saying when they say that they are convinced is that they have been convinced. They are implying that they did not previously have this view. Some action has occurred that has convinced them to hold this view. Like molten iron, this is not their original and natural state.

Now, this is fine when we are talking about a conclusion that we have reached during a consulting assignment. We may have been asked to check the feasibility of a proposed project. After gathering evidence, that evidence may have convinced us that the project is feasible or it may have convinced us that it is not. We started by having no opinion and the evidence has convinced us to hold an opinion. We have become convinced.

We are not convinced - and we have not been convinced - when we have always held the opinion that we now hold. I am not convinced that my approach is the best one for my clients. I am certain of it. Like mercury is liquid, I am certain because that is my natural state. So I do not say: ‘I am convinced that my approach will work for you’. I say: ‘I am certain that my approach will work for you’.

Abuse

Some consultants misuse the word ‘convinced’, as we have just seen. This misuse is accidental. Other consultants abuse the word, and they do it deliberately.

If I state in a report that ‘I am certain that this is the best option for my client,’ I am placing my reputation firmly behind my recommendation of that option. If consultants say ‘I am convinced that this is the best option,’ then they would not be quite as strenuous in their support of the recommendation. They seem to be saying ‘I am currently convinced that this is the best option, but I could also be persuaded otherwise.’ If consultants were entirely convinced that the option was best, they would be certain. They should say that they are certain. If they are not certain, they should qualify their statement. Instead of ‘I am convinced that this is the best option,’ they should say ‘Given certain constraints, I recommend this option,’ and then state the constraints.

Consultants should not appear to be giving their clients clear and unequivocal advice unless they are.

My tip

Never use the word ‘convinced’, whether you are certain or uncertain.

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