Ask HN: How often do you use “I think”?

When commenting on colleague's work, or when arguing constructively, how often do you use "I think" in an attempt to appear less authoritarian/harsh, or conversely, more open minded. How did it work out? What are the pros and cons that you've observed?

I think I prefer "In my opinion...".

I have a simple rule I try to follow:

Always lead with what you know factually followed by what you think.

When speaking to people, I often ask them to tell me what they know to be factual and what they think. Then I like to talk about how we can prove or disprove what we think.

In my day job, I preface propositions a lot. It's important to define what is a fact beyond change, what is substantially supported by evidence, what I think, what I believe, and what I hope.

Overstating or understating my certainty prevents clients from making informed decisions. If I inflate our chances at trial, a client could end up receiving more punishment than necessary because he forgoes the benefit of a plea deal. If I err in the other direction, a client may give up on fighting against an allegation even if we have a decent chance at an acquittal. Either way would be a failure to serve my client's best interests.

Beyond my own clients, I am also supervisory counsel over five younger attorneys. If I inject false certainty into our discussions, there are major ethical implications. If it's bad enough, it could even constitute a crime.