I used to do sales, and I found three words very helpful: I dont know.
But thats why saying I dont know is so powerful.
Admitting you dont know something is the most human thing it’s possible for you to do.
I dont know, Id tell people.
Lets see if we can figure it out together.
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If I wasnt sure what a setting did, Id experiment as the customer watched.
If it was something that would require more research, Id commit to figuring it out.
But first, and always, Id admit that I didnt know.
I built multiple relationships using the words I dont know because people knew I wasnt trying to hide anything.
Theres trust in that.
And you know what?
The clients this impressed were by far the best people to work with.
Im saying that, when you dont know something, you should admit it.
You cant learn something if you think you already know it.
This is a hard thing to realize.
If recent history has taught me anything, its that American culture values confidence more than competence.
Theres every incentive to pretend you know everything, and doing so can easily become reflexive.
Unfortunately, respecting the I dont know isnt universal.
My Zapier colleague Breetel Graves recently wrote aFriday updateon our internal blog that I cant stop thinking about.
I cant reveal how dumb I am!
Other Breetel:Ok, lets say you are that dumb.
What will happen if you reveal how dumb you are?
Breetel:Ill get fired.
Other Breetel:You probably wont be fired immediately.
Itll take a bit.
Youll probably have some warning.
Breetel:But then Ill get fired.
Other Breetel:Yeah, but youd probably get another job.
The local cheese shop is hiring.
And then I asked the question.
This is so human it hurts.
But you know what?
It hasnt, at least for me and it shouldnt for anyone.
This article by Justin Pot was originally published on theZapier blogand is republished here with permission.
you might read the original articlehere.
He loves technology, people, and nature, not necessarily in that order.
you might follow Justin:@jhpot.
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