Along with “Will you forgive me”, “I Don’t Know” are some of the most powerful words we can speak, especially as a leader or authority figure.

Leaders and authority figures are supposed to know things. We expect them to know things. When we become one of them, we often take those expectations and put them on ourselves. We should know things.

But what if we don’t know all the things?

Does that mean we aren’t good enough? Should we make stuff up so we look like we know all the things?

The secret – which isn’t a secret – is that no one knows all the things. Not even our most respected leaders.

We know that, intellectually, but we don’t always believe that. Which is why it can be difficult to say, “I don’t know.”

But it shouldn’t be.

It should be easy.

It’s honest. If you don’t know, you don’t know.

It’s humble, and humility is one of the fundamentals of good leadership.

Along with being humble, saying, “I don’t know,” puts us in an open, learning posture. It is hard to learn something if you think you already know it.

It also allows others to contribute. Especially as leaders, if we are always sharing our knowledge (real or not) and opinions, when will others share? People often wait for the leader to speak and either agree or keep quiet. Saying, “I don’t know,” is an opportunity to develop those around you.

My experience has been that hearing others say, “I don’t know,” raises my respect for them. I appreciate their honesty and humility.

It also increases my confidence in the answers they do share with me. If they are willing to admit when they don’t know something, there is a good chance they know what they are talking about when they do.

Saying, “I don’t know,” builds credibility.

For all these reasons, we should become more comfortable saying, “I don’t know.”

Let’s make it a personal challenge. A game. Let’s look for as many opportunities as possible to say, “I don’t know.”

We can be honest and humble.

We can be open and curious.

We can learn.

We can build trust and credibility with others.

We can do all of this, in part, by saying, “I don’t know.”

 

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