April 11, 2022

#11 - Only Answer What You Know

"We broaden our knowledge and skillsets so we can be more effective at our core craft, not so we undertake each one as a specialisation."

It's a straightforward trap to think you need all the answers, every solution, key facts and knowledge of the process. Any error or omission is a sign of weakness, incompetence or inability.

But in truth, should we expect anyone to be all things to all people?

We broaden our knowledge and skillsets so we can be more effective at our core craft, not so we undertake each one as a specialisation.

And we specialise so we can be more precise in our core pursuit

Everyone's combination of skills, expertise and knowledge looks different and yours is just that; yours.

When faced with a skill or knowledge gap, sometimes it pays to fumble your way through and work it out as you go. In this case, it's probably important the stakes are low and nobody's watching.

If the stakes are high, and everyone's watching, perhaps best to consider the role of authentic leadership; being brave enough and honest about what you don't know.

You may create more trust in the process.