{"id":2417,"date":"2015-08-13T00:01:25","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T04:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/terrencemetz.com\/?p=2417"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:42:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:42:54","slug":"meeting-argumentation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-argumentation\/","title":{"rendered":"Appreciate the Value of Argumentation and Meeting Argumentation"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>A strong facilitator should understand and appreciate the value of argumentation, specifically meeting argumentation. She should understand the holarchial nature of business and align people organized around a common cause. Critical thinking helps structure discussions so that groups can get more done, faster.<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Setting up our evidence-based approach that favors the value of argumentation and meeting argumentation, when Thomas Watson (CEO of IBM) was helping IBM reach their pinnacle, he said:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">\u201cI firmly believe that any organization, in order to survive and achieve success, must have a sound set of beliefs on which it premises all its policies and actions. I believe that the most important single factor in corporate success is faithful adherence to those beliefs. To meet the challenges of changing world, it must prepare to change everything about itself except those beliefs as it moves through corporate life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">He asserted that beliefs for IBM included<em> (illustrating the value of argumentation)<\/em>:<\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0Respect the individual.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0Provide the best customer service of any company in the world.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0Drive for superiority in all things.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">While \u201cbeliefs\u201d serves as a synonym for <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/different-priorities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">values<\/a> or guiding principles, the value of argumentation suggests that answers to the four questions below drive consistent decision-making from &#8220;the <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/structured-meetings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">board room to the boiler room<\/a>\u201d (METZ).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/action-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Why are we here?<\/a>\u00a0(Mission)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Who are we? (Guiding Principles)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Where are we going? (<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/mission-vision\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Vision<\/a>)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">What are the units of measurement to guide our progress? (<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/smart-measures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Goals, Objectives<\/a>, and Considerations)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Do not build your guiding principles simply because MBA textbooks say so. Rather, they should be collaboratively built so that everyone in the organization can make appropriate trade-offs in daily <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/evidence-based\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">decision-making.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Starting Points<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Organizations, especially businesses, have developed elaborate processes around knowledge management. Accepted facts, presumptions, assumptions, and probabilities (listed in order of general acceptance) represent the most common spheres of knowledge. Without starting points, argumentation is not possible. Conversely, the greater the shared starting points, the easier it is to <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/decision-quality\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">galvanize consensus<\/a>. Starting points become foundations as support for further claims, normally claims that are associated with change and a call to action.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2418\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/argumentation-relies-on-facts-presumptions-assumptions-and-probabilities.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2418\" class=\"wp-image-2418 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/argumentation-relies-on-facts-presumptions-assumptions-and-probabilities-300x211.png\" alt=\"Argumentation Relies on Facts, Presumptions, Assumptions, and Probabilities\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/argumentation-relies-on-facts-presumptions-assumptions-and-probabilities-300x211.png 300w, https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/argumentation-relies-on-facts-presumptions-assumptions-and-probabilities.png 744w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2418\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">The Value of Argumentation Relies on Facts, Presumptions, Assumptions, and Probabilities<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em>Facts<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">People refer to facts as observations, calculations, evidence, and other empirical knowledge derived from observation or experience over which there is no controversy. For example, the evening sunsets in the west. Chocolate truffles are more expensive than dirt. Yet acceptable facts will change from group to group.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em>Presumptions<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">With lesser certainty than facts, presumptions provide the basis for many claims. For example, children are less able to care for themselves than adults. Presumptions are subject to challenge and may be overthrown. Some people even begin their arguments with presumptions they know to be false, simply to get the conversation going. Presumptions are relied upon heavily in legal actions and frequently require an additional \u2018burden of proof.\u2019 A key value of group <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/diverse-teams\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">decision-making<\/a> is the ability for groups to more thoroughly <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/make-thinking-visible\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">challenge<\/a> and disrupt unsound presumptions by providing facts or observations of times and places when the presumptions are false.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><em>Assumptions<\/em><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">While a presumption represents something you think is generally true, but not always true, an assumption is something believed to be true, with less certainty than a presumption. The difference can be subtle. When you have certain set ideas about some things, they are also presumptions. Keep in mind that presumptions are more authoritative than assumptions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">An excellent comparison from The Write Source by Liz Bureman follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">&#8220;For example, since I just watched\u00a0<em>The Hunger Games<\/em>\u00a0for the first time (the original, not the sequel)\u00a0, I presumed that I would enjoy it. I had never seen the movie before (I know, I know, I\u2019m way behind the times), but I have read the books, and I enjoyed them. Since I enjoyed the books, the <em>presumption<\/em>\u00a0that I would enjoy the movie was an easy one to make.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">However, I\u00a0<em>assume<\/em> that the actors read the books before starting work on the film. I have no idea if Jennifer Lawrence actually read the trilogy before taking on the role of Katniss, although I\u2019m sure a Google search could clear that up, but right now, that is a pure\u00a0<em>assumption<\/em>, since I have no proof or knowledge that would lead me to think that would be the case.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em>Probabilities<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">With lesser certainty, probabilities are assembled with a combination of facts, presumptions, and assumptions about some <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scenario-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">future condition<\/a>. Such beliefs are frequently held, whether clear or not, during most arguments. Probabilities may even be assigned percentages and are reflected when you hear words such as \u201cLikely\u201d, \u201cAlmost certainly\u201d, \u201cProbably\u201d, and \u201cMaybe\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Since many business arguments involve probabilities, an effective facilitator needs to make the <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/better-listeners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">thinking visible<\/a> behind modifiers such as \u201clikely\u201d. Discover conditions under which the probability increases or decreases to get a group more rapidly to accept an algorithm reflecting the probability or propensity. Seek to have them articulate a range of possibilities rather than fixed numbers. Consider capturing three placeholders such as <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/smart-measures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">best case<\/a>, worst case, and most likely. Always use your critical thinking to examine the basis of facts, presumptions, assumptions, and probabilities and help the group understand what components may cause their <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-conflicts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">arguments<\/a> to fortify or to become frail.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>______<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Lead the Change\u2014One Meeting at a Time<\/b><\/span><b><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\">Are you ready to transform how decisions are made, problems are solved, and alignment is built in your organization?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>True meeting leadership goes beyond setting an agenda.<\/b><\/span> It requires a facilitator who can navigate complexity, balance voices, and drive toward outcomes with clarity and consensus. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Professional Meeting Leadership Workshop<\/b><\/span><\/a> equips you to do just that\u2014blending <span class=\"s1\"><b>human-centric methods<\/b><\/span> with <span class=\"s1\"><b>structured analytical tools<\/b><\/span> to foster rigor, inclusivity, and results that stick.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Practice live.<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Get expert feedback.<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Build confidence that lasts.<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\">Whether your meetings suffer from unclear objectives, disengaged participants, or decision fatigue, this workshop will help you <span class=\"s1\"><b>identify the root causes<\/b><\/span>, <span class=\"s1\"><b>apply proven facilitation techniques<\/b><\/span>, and <span class=\"s1\"><b>emerge as the leader every team needs<\/b><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Take the first step today\u2014transform your meetings and magnify your impact.<\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"s2\" style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #ff0000;\">\ud83d\udc49 <\/span><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s1\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #ff0000;\"><b>Click here to reserve your seat now.<\/b><\/span><b><\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Limited availability)<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Because every meeting should be a catalyst for change\u2014not just another calendar event.<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>______<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">With Bookmarks no longer a feature in WordPress, we provide the following for your benefit and reference.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">20 Prioritization Techniques = <a href=\"https:\/\/foldingburritos.com\/product-prioritization-techniques\/\">https:\/\/foldingburritos.com\/product-prioritization-techniques\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Creativity Techniques = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mycoted.com\/Category:Creativity_Techniques\">https:\/\/www.mycoted.com\/Category:Creativity_Techniques<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Facilitation Training Calendar = <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training-calendar\/\">https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training-calendar\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Liberating Structures = <a href=\"http:\/\/www.liberatingstructures.com\/ls-menu\">http:\/\/www.liberatingstructures.com\/ls-menu<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Management Methods = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.valuebasedmanagement.net\/\">https:\/\/www.valuebasedmanagement.net<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Newseum = https:\/\/www.freedomforum.org\/todaysfrontpages\/<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">People Search = <a href=\"https:\/\/pudding.cool\/2019\/05\/people-map\/\">https:\/\/pudding.cool\/2019\/05\/people-map\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Project Gutenberg = http:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/wiki\/Main_Page<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Scrum Events Agendas = <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scrum-facilitation\/\">https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scrum-facilitation\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Speed test = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.speedtest.net\/result\/8715401342\">https:\/\/www.speedtest.net\/result\/8715401342<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Teleconference call = <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/DYu_bGbZiiQ\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/DYu_bGbZiiQ<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">The Size of Space = https:\/\/neal.fun\/size-of-space\/<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Thiagi\/ 400 ready-to-use training games = <a href=\"http:\/\/thiagi.net\/archive\/www\/games.html\">http:\/\/thiagi.net\/archive\/www\/games.html<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Visualization methods = <a href=\"http:\/\/www.visual-literacy.org\/periodic_table\/periodic_table.html\">http:\/\/www.visual-literacy.org\/periodic_table\/periodic_table.html#<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Walking Gorilla = <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/vJG698U2Mvo\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/vJG698U2Mvo<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>______<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A strong facilitator should understand and appreciate the value of argumentation, specifically meeting argumentation. She should understand the holarchial nature of business and align people organized around a common cause. Critical thinking helps structure discussions so that groups can get more done, faster. Setting up our evidence-based approach that favors the value of argumentation and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2418,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"-1","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[453185969,453185961,453185952,453185951,453185953],"tags":[453192284,453191202,453192283,453191201,453191200],"class_list":["post-2417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication-skills","category-decision-making","category-facilitation-skills","category-leadership-skills","category-managing-conflict","tag-arguments-in-meetings","tag-facts-presumptions-assumptions","tag-meeting-argumentation","tag-presumptions-assumptions-and-probabilities","tag-value-of-argumentation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Appreciate the Value of Argumentation and Meeting Argumentation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Critical thinking structures discussions so groups get more done, faster. 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