How being open about what you don’t know will help every stage of your career.
No matter how much we know, there is always so much we do not know.
This is an universal fact. Yet, many of us are not open about ourselves at workplace losing on the opportunity to learn and grow. All great leaders and mentors are open about what they do not know. They rely on other team members or people who report into them for something they don’t have knowledge about.
If people of such a stature can be open about what they do not know. Why can’t we?
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Not being open is not our fault. There are many situations and perceptions in our environment and culture that leads us into this habit of not being open. Whatever the reasons are, here is how we tend to keep ourselves in the dark in different stages of career.
In our early careers, many of us are scared to ask questions. We are worried that people might judge us. Our inner voice stops us from asking questions. It says something like this “I just got selected for this role, my hiring manager or team members may think that I do not know this trivial thing. Let me not ask and try to figure it out myself” This way of thinking do not end there. In an year, the same voice says “It is over an year since I am here, people may judge me that I haven’t gained this skill yet”. This way of thinking keeps on continuing to become a habit that will work against us.
In mid to late careers, we may feel that we should not expose our lack of knowledge to our managers, peers and those who report into us. Our voice will now start saying “At this level, I should have known this. Exposing my lack of knowledge may hinder me from a promotion” or “People may judge me that I should not belong to this leadership position”.
While not being open is more prominent in early careers than in late stage careers, it is still observed in significant number of people who are in later part of their careers.
Irrespective of whenever it is, this way of thinking will do more harm than good. You will become much lesser in confidence as you are denying yourself a new learning. No one is perfect and no one has infinite knowledge anyway.
Here is some perspectives that will help us to be open:
1. People don’t judge us. They help us: While we often worry that our colleagues may judge us when we ask for help or be open about what we know. That is often wrong. No one has time to judge you. They simply help and move on to their next thing.
2. Being honest is always the best and it boosts our confidence: Being your authentic self is the best. No on is perfect and everyone knows that no one can know everything. It is better to say “I do not know about this thing and i would like to learn about it” than being hidden in the dark forever. Moreover, every time you are honest and learn something new, it boosts your confidence and others appreciate that.
3. You inspire others to be open as well: There are many people who think similarly in these situations and stay in their cocoon. Being open will rub off on other people as well. When they ask about something they do not know (and probably you too) and someone else helps, everyone is learning. It is a win-win.
While sometimes ego comes in our way to ask, develop this habit of being open and you will let your career flourish. Next time, if you are in a dilemma or if there is something you don’t know but need to know to do your job. Be yourself and ask it out.
The habit of asking about what we don’t know is a sign of strength and not that of a weakness.
Note: If you are too much dependent on each and every task every day for a long time. You should have been somewhere else anyway.
