# Fact-Finding Missions By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-10-15 At work, sometimes one finds oneself being sent on a _fact-finding mission_. There are a few potentially interesting aspects of this phrase to dissect. First, framing this work in terms of a mission might seem odd. In common usage, this term has a long history of military operations and religious excursions. As it is used in organizations, it conveys more similarity with the military. However, thinking about fact-finding missions taking place organizationally, more like a religious mission, is interesting. What might that look like? The next aspect of the phrase worthy of attention is facts. What is a fact? How do we know one when we see it? A fact is something that is known or proven to be true. Acceptance isn’t mentioned in that definition. Organizationally, it seems that general acceptance is an important aspect of establishing facts. This is problematic. It makes finding facts challenging. Findings might be somewhat misleading. If facts need to be generally accepted within organizations to be accepted as facts, the focus needs to be on those in the organization as much as it is on things. There is a great deal of relevance to social constructivism in this. So, maybe the phrase fact-finding mission doesn’t convey well what one would do organizationally when such an order is given. Perhaps one is engaged in an _acceptance-construction campaign_. #### Related Items [[Work]] [[Facts]] [[Religion]] [[Military]] [[Organization]] [[Truth]] [[Acceptance]]