Lesson Learned: Fess Up

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. – Socrates

Do you own up?

You know what I mean.

When someone asks you a question you’re not sure you know the answer to, but you think you should know the answer to it —and you start to squirm in your britches.

At that point you have a decision to make:

1. Back pedal and try to make up the best answer you can on the fly or 2. you can fess up and say, “You know I’m not sure about that, I will have to get back to you”.

On good days, I easily say, “I don’t know, but I can find out” or “I actually don’t have any experience with ________, so let me do some research or refer you to someone else”.

Other days, however, I hem and haw and finally utter something incomprehensible. And then immediately regret it.

Fessing up to what we may perceive as our weaknesses is essential in life and in business.

1. Not only does this make us feel better about ourselves – it actually helps us acknowledge our strong suits. 
2. You can relax in knowing you that you don’t know. While it may feel uncomfortable for a moment to not have an answer to something  you think you should know – that moment will pass.

Not knowing the answer to something is not a weakness, it just is.

We attach unnecessary that “should” word and step on all kinds of land minds. Next time that squirmy feeling takes hold, try to think about the answer that best suits you, not what you think someone wants to hear or what you think you should know.

Toss the “should” and speak your truth.