“Argument from Silence”
Nothing to Say?
What is Argument from Silence?
Reading into silence as support, guilt, or refutation without the examination of additional cues.
Business Application
The reasoning behind silence can vary wildly. There are plenty of reasons why a prospect doesn’t get back to you. There are also plenty of reasons why someone may choose to remain silent when facing accusation. By getting into your own head about unsubstantiated intent, you cloud your judgement and can end up looking very foolish or missing great opportunity.
Example 1
“Clearly this prospect is not interested because they never got back to me.”
Why This is a Fallacy
Assuming a prospective client’s motive for inaction eliminates all possibility for a win. Prospects have personal lives that interfere with work, unexpected workloads, and can simply be forgetful.
Example 2
“I’ll take your silence as an admission of guilt.”
Why This is a Fallacy
Assuming someone’s silence as guilt is rash behavior and can backfire as prejudicial in an office environment.
