Feels or Facts?
Feels or Facts?
I get it. You're in the thick of it, something feels off, and you want to name it before it grows. That instinct isn't wrong.
It's easy to reach for something like "the team's really struggling right now" when that's the sense you've got. A feeling. A comment overheard once. One rough week, quietly generalised.
"Is this feels or facts?" is something I ask the leaders I work with a lot. Not because feelings don't matter, they're usually the first sign something's worth looking at properly. But a feeling is where a conversation starts, not where it should end. By the time you raise it with someone else, it needs to have turned into something sturdier than "I've got a sense."
A strong opinion said with confidence can travel just as far as a fact. The evidence is what tells you which one you're holding.
This isn't about being clinical, and it's not about needing a spreadsheet before you're allowed to have a conversation. It's about knowing the difference between "I've observed this directly, three times, in this specific way" and "I have a feeling about this." Those are two different conversations. The person on the other end can usually tell which one they're getting.
A few questions worth asking before the conversation, not during it:
Is this feels, or facts? The honest answer tells you whether you're ready to raise it yet.
If I had to show someone the evidence, what would I actually show them? If the answer is "not much yet," that's worth knowing early.
What would change my mind here, and have I actually looked for it? Genuine willingness to be wrong is often what makes people trust what you're bringing to them.
Next time you're about to raise something with someone, is it feels, or facts?