We Cannot Know Everything

Have you known someone who seems to be a maven on all topics? Then, you mention “Chiron” to that person and that expert stares blankly. They * didn’t know something; they didn’t know that ‘Chiron,' in astrology, is an asteroid that has a turbulent orbit that comes around every 49 years, and it is known as the “wounded healer” (https://www.astrology.com/asteroids/chiron). We, simply, cannot know it all.

A few years ago, Michel Theriault wrote the article, “You Can't Know Everything: How Admitting This Gives You Credibility," published in Forbes Magazine: “…by thinking you know everything and acting on that belief, you’re likely to make more mistakes than you otherwise might. So [,] what are the risks of a ‘know everything’ attitude?

1. You get it wrong.

2. You alienate others who likely know better than you [do].

3. You don’t give others an opportunity to learn and grow from applying their ideas and perhaps even making mistakes.

4. You waste the talent around you.

5. You miss out on a better way of doing things” (qtd. in https://www.forbes.com).

I suggest these additions to Theriault’s list of risks if we claim to know almost everything:

6. We build a reputation as an ‘arrogant know-it-all’ that can be difficult to change.

7. We can be viewed as an ‘intellectual bully.’

8. We waste time claiming rather than learning.

Being a lifelong learner will show us that the more we learn, the more we realize what we do not yet know. Often “mansplaining” and using the “teacher voice” leaves others rolling their metaphorical eyes because they know you don’t know it all. It reduces your credibility. For example, a Cast Member at Walt Disney World is not allowed to answer a Guest’s question by saying, “I don’t know.” The Cast Member must reframe their * answer with something like this: “Let me look into that for you.” And, then, they find the answer to relay to the Guest.

Even if you ‘stay in your lane’ focussing your life on one area of expertise, you still will never know everything about that topic. Having to know everything and letting others know it is of the ego. It is ultimately being inauthentic. If you are a supervisor, manager, leader in a business, keep in mind Theriault’s list of the risks of ‘know everything’ attitude. To be a more effective administrator, reduce those risks to demonstrate authenticity, to show leadership acumen, to reduce ego, and to connect with your team. To be a more effective team member, entrepreneur, and consultant, review Theriault’s list of risks of ‘know everything’ attitude.

While we cannot know it all, we can keep learning to deepen our knowledge, skills, and attitude. We can find ways to express, “I don’t know” in a more positive manner that shows others you are self-aware, and, if others need an answer, you will attempt to find what’s needed. And, we can be truthful about what we know and don’t know. Recently, I took my mother to get her hair cut. While we were waiting, another customer attempted to ‘mansplain’ to my mother some obscure point in the Bible. I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at this stranger, but, I told my face to ‘stand down.’ What this stranger didn’t know is that my mother had gone to a Bible college and knows the Bible throughout. He tried to recall where in the Bible his strange assertion came from, but, he could not. His “facts” were not validated; they were not true. When we attempt to BS people by pretending to know something and we are obviously incorrect, we have lost credibility. I’ll close out with a quote from Mark Twain: “It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt” (https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/409209).

* While using plural pronouns to replace a singular noun or pronoun is technically not Standard English grammar, modern use of the plural pronoun allows for respectful gender neutrality.