The Assumption of Positive Intent

In promotional products, how you respond when things go wrong can say more about you than how you perform when everything goes right.  

Let’s talk about the only time assuming doesn’t make an “a-word” out of you and/or me: the assumption of positive intent. 
If you’ve spent any time in the promotional products industry, you know things don’t always go according to plan. Orders get delayed. Approvals get missed. Customers change their minds. Suppliers or service providers make decisions that leave us scratching our heads. 
And when something goes wrong, our brains are remarkably good at filling in the blanks. Usually, not in anyone’s favor. 
We decide a supplier doesn’t care. A customer is being unreasonable. A colleague dropped the ball. 
Maybe we’re right. But maybe we’re missing a pretty important piece of the story. 
Assuming positive intent doesn’t mean pretending people don’t make mistakes or excusing poor performance. It means asking questions before deciding what someone’s actions say about their character. 
And in an industry built on relationships, that small pause can make a surprisingly big difference. 
Exhibit A: We’ve all heard the conversations or seen “THAT” social page. 

“That supplier is a disaster lately.” “Their production times are terrible.” 

Sometimes, those frustrations are justified. But before assuming the worst, get curious. They may be navigating a difficult transition that ultimately strengthens their operation and benefits your business, too. 
That doesn’t excuse missed deadlines or poor communication. It means you can hold someone accountable without assuming the worst about them. 
Ask questions. Understand what’s happening. Work together to protect your customers. 
The supplier you criticize today may be the one who goes above and beyond for you tomorrow. Strong partnerships aren’t built just by celebrating the wins, but by how we navigate the tough seasons together. 

A partner in our community refers to this behavior as “Radical Grace” and encourages her team to lead with that intention whenever they face conflict. That kind of leadership sticks with you, both in promo and in the real world, where I believe it matters even more. 

Exhibit B: But what if the customer isn't always right?

 You’ve sourced the perfect product and built a timeline, but your customer misses the approval deadline, and now the inventory is gone. 

Your frustration is justified. Your time matters, your reputation is on the line, and deadlines have consequences. 
But before assuming your customer doesn’t respect your time, get curious. They may be juggling competing priorities, navigating internal changes, or struggling with a process that could use some work. 
The teachable moment: Assuming positive intent doesn’t mean ignoring accountability. It means focusing on solutions before assigning blame. 
Instead of asking, “Whose fault is this?” ask, “What happened, and how can we move forward?” 
One of the most influential leaders in my career used to ask one question at just the right moment during every customer interaction. At first, it used to SHOCK me. I’m talking… literal eyeballs-popping-out kind of shock. 
He’d ask, “What keeps you up at night?” It was like watching a client lie back on a therapy couch and reveal all the answers to the test I needed to pass to be successful in the partnership. 
Sheer magic. 
Last Exhibit: When the best answer is pointing them somewhere else.

 A customer comes to you with a tight budget, a condensed timeline, or a request that feels nearly impossible. And what do we do? We try to rope the moon to make it happen. 

We stretch our resources, absorb the stress, and sometimes sacrifice profitability because we feel like saying no might cost us the relationship. 
But what if making it happen isn't actually what's best for the customer, or for your business? 
Sometimes, another supplier, a different product, or an entirely different approach is better suited to their needs. And being the person who recognizes that, even when it means sending the business elsewhere, is what separates a vendor from a trusted partner. 
The teachable moment: You don't have to force every opportunity to fit. Prioritizing your customer's needs over closing the deal builds the kind of trust that lasts beyond a single transaction. 
Losing a sale doesn't have to mean losing a relationship. When you help a customer find the right solution, even if it isn't yours, you give them a reason to come back when the timing, budget, and opportunity align for a mutually beneficial partnership. 
Sometimes, the best thing you can do for future sales is to stop trying to close the one in front of you. 
Once, I watched a coworker tell a customer to order pizza and cupcakes from a local shop rather than purchase the jackets from us. I thought to myself, "This guy is an absolute lunatic." 
His explanation stopped me in my tracks. 
“I could have taken that sale, and it would have been a disaster. They didn’t have time to organize sizes, so it would have been a guessing game, and people would have been disappointed. They wouldn’t have had the opportunity to try on the jackets or really think through their options. Instead, I’m sending them samples, and everyone can review them over pizza.” 
The order tripled once they had the opportunity to thoughtfully consider their options, and the local pizza shop ended up calling to place an order, too. What!?
The reputation you’re building when nobody is watching. 

 There’s another piece of this conversation that matters just as much as positive intent: integrity. 

Integrity isn’t just about keeping promises and doing what you say you’ll do. It’s also about how you choose to respond when things don’t go according to plan. 
It’s easy to be gracious when everything goes right. Who we are becomes more visible when an order is late, a customer is frustrated, or a supplier lets us down. 
In those moments, we have to ask ourselves: Is this response consistent with the professional I want to be? 
Your turn: Let’s talk about it.

 I’m willing to bet most of us have a promotional products story where a little curiosity changed the outcome. Maybe a supplier came through when you least expected it. Maybe a difficult customer taught you something about patience. Or maybe someone else’s willingness to assume positive intent gave you the chance to make things right. 

I’d love to hear those stories.

 Share a moment when assuming positive intent changed the conversation, strengthened a relationship, or turned a problem into an opportunity. 

Because if there’s one thing our industry has taught me, it’s that the best lessons don’t always come from getting the order right. 
Sometimes, they come from getting the relationship right.