How to distinguish a fact from an assumption in a difficult conversation
Separate what someone said or did from your explanation of their intentions. This can make room for your reaction without treating a guess as an established fact.
Tool · five optional steps
Situation portrait
Separate what happened, your assumptions, and what matters now. The result is your working map, not a conclusion about you.
Answers are processed in this tab and are not sent to a server. They disappear when you reload. Every field is optional.
Five steps, all optional
A short fictional example
A colleague moved a meeting an hour before it was due to start.
Notes stay only in this tab and disappear when you reload. Context is not included in the map.
Every field is optional. You can continue with it blank.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Your worksheet
Your situation map
Edit any section here. Changes will also appear in the corresponding step.
Working notes, not a psychological assessment.
The map may contain personal text. Copy places it on your clipboard; print sends it to your selected printer or PDF.
Add text to at least one section to copy or print the map.
An assumption does not prove another person’s intentions. You can stop here.
Fictional map example
Fact: the meeting was moved an hour before it began. Assumption: perhaps plans changed. What matters: I need clarity about timing. Step: ask when it would be convenient to meet.