I don’t know about you, but I grew up believing I had to know it all. “I don’t know” was a weakness, so even if I didn’t know something, I’d pretend I did. Fake it ’til you make it, right?
Well, guess what? That mindset didn’t serve me, and it’s not serving you either. Dr. Adam Grant, author of Think Again, shows that the best leaders don’t cling to a “right way” mindset. They’re open to rethinking their stance and, better yet, admitting when they don’t know something. They seek feedback, gather knowledge from others, and build more productive, efficient, creative, and trusting teams.
Now, imagine the difference between making a decision because you think you know enough and holding off because you know you need more information. That awareness gap can be the difference between a hasty choice and a game-changing decision.
But what does it take to admit you don’t know? Courage. Vulnerability. The guts to consider other approaches. A growth mindset that shoves confirmation bias aside.
And when you lean into not knowing, you give others permission to do the same. You might even create a learning culture instead of a know-it-all culture that knows nothing at all!
So, how do you close the gap between not knowing and confidently knowing? Ask for help. Seriously, get over the fear of admitting you don’t know something and the fear of asking for help. Trust me, you’re not the only one who doesn’t know. Someone else likely doesn’t either. Asking for help isn’t a choice; it’s a necessity. You can’t know everything. So, will you make assumptions and risk wasting time, or will you lean on others’ strengths to fully tap into your own?
The choice is yours. What’s it going to be? I think you already know.