Stepping into uncertainty

Do you remember that Sam Cook song "What a wonderful world"? The first two verses before it gets into the romantic bit go,

Don't know much about history

Don't know much biology

Don't know much about a science book

Don't know much about the French I took

Don't know much about geography

Don't know much trigonometry

Don't know much about algebra

Don't know what a slide rule is for

I think from all that information, ONE THING we do know for sure is that this dude is not passing any exams this semester.

Admitting what you don't know or are unsure of can feel threatening. But withholding your uncertainty has significant implications for achieving your goals and building trust in your team.

Willing to share that I don't know

When you are happy to share what you don't know, you open up the possibility of finding stuff out. So we can get curious and learn together.

Won't share that you don't know

If you are unsure and are afraid to share, often because we don't want to look dumb or lower our status in the group by appearing uncertain, we can waste time on the wrong paths.

Willing to share what you do know

Being comfortable sharing the benefit of your knowledge and experience is what keeps us progressing. And being open to diverse points of view and able to be challenged is a very healthy state.

Won't share what you do know

If you choose to withhold information that could be useful, maybe because you want to keep the power of that knowledge to yourself, then you will slow down the achievement of the group.

It can take courage to say you don't know. It can require a degree of humility to say you do and not be a braggart. But it takes a team willing to be honest to achieve goals effectively and efficiently. The more you are, the greater trust you build, the more you achieve and enjoy the journey.