The Importance of Saying “I Don’t Know”
It’s the 3 words we can be so fearful of saying. And in business, we believe that we’ve got to give quick answers and show our competence, especially in a leadership position. And if there are any gaps in our knowledge, we need to hide them at all costs. But when it comes to those three words, “I don’t know,” why are they so hard to say? But there are benefits to having the confidence to say these three words, but also how can we make sure that we incorporate this into our daily leadership?
Are You Getting the Help You Really Need?
If you were to take a step back and say that you didn’t know how to do something, it gives you the freedom to actually solve problems. Our temptation is to firefight to give a quick answer. But when it comes to deep-rooted issues within our business, we may find that saying that we don’t know how to do something and open a snap to a multitude of options. You may think that something like marketing can be easily covered, by using the standard approaches like SEO or PPC. But if you do not know how to implement them properly, you’re throwing money at an issue that will never get solved. Instead, saying “I don’t know,” and hiring a digital marketing agency to smooth out your rough edges will help you infinitely.
What Are the Risks in Assuming You Know the Answer?
If you started from the assumption that you didn’t know the answer, you may be surprised as to the nuances you may uncover. We feel that we’ve got to create an illusion of knowledge, and this was back to the idea of faking it until you make it. And as a leader, the importance of admitting you don’t know something isn’t just about giving yourself the opportunity to learn, but it helps to engage your team. This can foster collaboration and can help everybody work together. When you start to admit you don’t have the answers but you have the curiosity to find them out, this will help to foster better decision-making and increased trust.
Do You Believe in Your Own Myth?
One of the big problems leaders have is that they find after a while they can believe in an opinion they give out when it is not actually truthful. Partly, this can be about firefighting, that you give out a truthful statement and you start to believe that it is a fact rather than just an opinion because you need to give people an answer when you genuinely don’t know. But gradually, this results in fanning the flames. If you go back to the things that you’ve stated and acknowledge that they are opinions, this will mean others will feel better in sharing their own perspective.
It is so important, when you are expanding your business, that you focus on the ability for people to share their own points of view. If you start to admit that you don’t know, it doesn’t make you weak. And ultimately, you have to remember that you are in a leadership position. So what do you really have to lose?
About the Author: Garlak Theodorakis
My name is Garlak Theodorakis, I am graphic designer with almost 10 year experience in the field. Founded Tooft.com in january 2010 with idea to share my knowledge with the world.
