Four Little Words

“I don’t know”

Professionally, how many times have you heard a manager, supervisor or a colleague say, “I don’t know”? More than likely, not often, if at all.

In the article, Why Saying "I Don't Know" Adds Credibility, found online at https://lifehacker.com/why-saying-i-dont-know-adds-credibility-1535273452 the premise is when someone admits to not knowing the answer and does not resort to “… BS our way through certain conversations and sometimes that means getting to a point where you just don't know the answer to something…” you actually gain points for your honesty.

One finds the same true premise when they read, The Power of Saying "I Don't Know".  (https://www.verticalresponse.com/about/news/articles-reports/the-power-of-saying-i-dont-know) The author of the article states, “… In today's ultra competitive work environment, many people feel the need to be "super workers" and have an answer to every question. But, it's not always a good thing if you have people who work for you that are afraid to admit they don't know something, and it's the kind of behavior that can ultimately get you in trouble with potential clients ...”

The key word here is “honesty”. We, in the work place, extol repeatedly how honest we are in our dealings with others, with our clients, our advertisements, ourselves to the point of extremes. How is it then that we find it so difficult to say, “I don’t know”? 

Consider the following … Saying the words, “I don’t know”? 

·     Lends creditability to you as someone who cares about the bottom line

·     Allows others to see you as human, and willing to admit you are human

·     Eliminates the extemporaneous data or “BS” one exudes when s/he is trying to avoid answering or talks around the subject

·     When we resort to avoiding admitting we are not knowledgeable doesn’t that also affect our creditability to an even greater degree?

·     Is it possible that not being able to admit a lack in knowledge and talking around the issue loses us creditability in the eyes of others?

When one admits they do not know an answer there are several options.

·     Use it as a training exercise [I don’t know the answer to the question _____. However, if you will allow me to do some research I will get back to you as quickly as possible.]

·     To train students [_____ I don’t know about that subject. Why don’t you look it up and then present to the class what you found out?]

·     In professional relationships [You know, as much as I hate to say it, “I don’t know. Let me get back to you on that … would ____ be a good time to check back and let you know my progress?]

Admitting that you are not in the know is not life threatening, it does not lower your stature in the eyes of others; but, rather, it serves to show you are human, willing to show strength because you admitted a short-coming. In fact, if anything is true … admitting, “I don’t know”, will raise you up as someone who cares, someone who is a life-long learner, someone who expects the best out of everyone, especially one’s self.