99% - I much prefer 90%

I have heard 99% quite a lot recently. It is a bit of a cliché here in the office. I also heard it during Wimbledon last year. Whenever I hear it, I know that I can't trust it. Let me explain. Nearly the whole nation saw Wimbledon and watched Hawkeye. So you can all understand the old tennis cliché that the ball that is 99% out is 100% in. A ball just kissing the line is as "in" as a ball landing in the middle of the court.Now let me speak as a recruitment consultant - if a candidate is ever offered a job and they tell me they are "99% certain they will accept", they never do.Or put it another way, a candidate who is 99% in, is 100% out. And I have not once been surprised by this maxim in 30+ years. During sales meetings, progress meetings and one to ones with my consultants, on every single occasion it has held good, and that is a lot of occasions.I thought of this recently because we had a 90% conversation. And in that case the candidate was being entirely honest, indeed he ended up taking the role. 90% good, 99% bad. Want to subscribe to this blog? click here.