Sort the Cards
Can you tell what you see from what you think? Sort statements into observations and inferences.
Making inferences is something our brains do automatically. We see a small detail — a facial expression, a tone of voice, a person arriving late — and our mind instantly writes a story about what it means. We make inferences about other people, and they make inferences about us. Sometimes based on very small details.
That's not the problem. The problem is when we mistake our inferences for facts. When we treat the story our brain invented as though it were something a camera recorded.
This exercise will make that visible. You'll practise spotting the difference between what you actually observe and what you conclude from it. This distinction matters because when we intervene in a group, we want to share our observations and test our inferences — not pronounce them. Being able to tell which is which is essential.
And here's the humbling part: sometimes our inferences are very wrong. Don't always believe what you think.
🔍 Observation
What a camera would record — no judgment, no interpretation
💡 Inference
A judgment, conclusion, or interpretation layered onto what was seen