The Power Of Saying I Don't Know
How saying I don't know can cure rampant lying, faking, and hiding, which permeates every industry and every company across the globe. When stress levels hit high enough they can affect any employee in a company. At times executives and founders are the ones that encounter the most stress and can therefore be most guilty of it. It is called imposter syndrome.
Lying, faking, and hiding is rampant. It permeates every industry and every company across the globe. When stress levels hit high enough it can affect any employee in a company. At times executives and founders are the ones that encounter the most stress and can therefore be most guilty of it. It is called imposter syndrome. It turn's out that there is one simple silver bullet answer to this problem and it is saying:
I don't know.
These 27 minutes of wisdom and honesty by Meghan Messenger exemplify why Meghan is one of the best leaders out there in 2016. Harvard Business Review just named Next Jump as one of it's only three Deliberately Developmental Organizations.
It turns out that lying takes twice as much energy in your brain than telling the truth and it is done to avoid being judged. Here is what you can do instead:
- Listen: Do not default to just repeating what you have heard, actually listen.
- Internalize: Personalize what you have just heard to your own life. (Use empathy)
- Operationalize: Go execute with a real understanding.
Along with the benefit of actually understanding each unique situation your in, there is one more key advantage as well. When you say "I don't know" you open yourself up to get help and feedback from other people. This is the most powerful benefit to keeping this mentality. It will open you up to new knowledge and therefore help you grow as an individual extremely fast. Check out Meghan's video below to hear the full story and a bit more of the story behind the the power of saying I don't know .
Note: TP stands for Talking Partner. Its a program where Next Jumpers are paired off and meet daily. These partners develop relationships of trust and help each other grow through advice and support.