“I don’t know.”
“I really don’t know.”
How refreshing to admit this!
It’s something I wish I’d said more often in my career.
Do we need to be able to answer every question? Must we have an opinion on everything? Not necessarily.
Especially in leadership, there’s an expectation to respond to every query and attend every meeting.
Sometimes it’s because we feel responsible; other times, it’s because we fear appearing incapable.
But it’s okay not to know everything.
Acknowledging this doesn’t diminish your value.
If the question is important, you can admit you don’t have the answer yet, but you’ll try to find out.
Or, recognize that you might have other priorities demanding your energy.
Perhaps, the person asking could even discover the answer themselves.
Let’s show up with more vulnerability at work, and less need for perfection.
By doing so, we can redirect our time and energy towards what truly matters.