This past week I had an enlightening conversation with two different employees. Enlightening in that it revealed their two different styles. With both I was discussing some technical aspect we needed before we could move forward with our new system implementation. The first employee listened to what I was saying, said they understood, then proceeded to explain something that was not at all what I meant. I tried again, he seemed to understand, I think, but I left with the feeling that I’d be revisiting this problem again in a week.
The second employee listened to what I had to say, tried to explain what they thought I meant, like the first employee, but when he discovered he still didn’t get it, he told me so. His words were along the lines of, “I still don’t think I’m fully understanding what you mean.” Now that’s something I can work with.
With both employees I’m going to have to figure out a way to convey my message in a way that makes sense (after all, communication is a two-way street), but with the second employee I know where I stand.
This happens a lot, answering without having an answer. It’s a problem we have as human beings. I used to be guilty of it. Now I’ve gotten comfortable with saying “I don’t know” generally followed by, “Let me do some research and I’ll get back to you.”
The problem with having an answer for everything is that it prevents you from searching for the actual answer. If you think you know everything, what more do you have to learn? There is a lot I don’t know. I know next to nothing about the Peloponnesian War. Very little about James Garfield beyond that he was President. There is still a lot that I can learn, even in my areas of expertise. However, learning cannot begin until you are willing to admit that there are things you “do not know”.
I find that when the employee who said, “I don’t know” actually gives me an answer to a question, I trust him. I also find he does a lot more researching of problems before trying to solve them. If you’re a manager, or a leader of any sort, encourage your direct reports to say “I don’t know,” instead of just giving you an answer for the sake of answering.
Give it a try. Will it lead to better solutions to problems, more productive meetings or higher sales?
I have to admit, I don’t know. I’ll do some more research and get back to you.
Joe Robles 