DEV Community

Gabriel Toma
Gabriel Toma

Posted on • Originally published at toma.dev

5 1 1

Just say it: "I don't know"

Newsflash: Leaders don't have all the answers. The strongest thing you can sometimes say is "I don't know." It invites collaboration and shows vulnerability. It turns uncertainty into opportunity. It's a cue for honesty and a green light for curiosity.

Saying "I don't know" is so underrated. Too often, we avoid it because it feels risky, like it might show a flaw. We've been trained to believe that being in charge means having it all figured out, ready to fire off answers at a moment's notice. But it's not about having every answer; it's about knowing when you don't and having the confidence to say it. Real growth comes from admitting what we don't know and diving in to find out.

More importantly, this one buys time. A quick response can satisfy an immediate need, but taking time to find a real answer adds value. Not knowing isn't a failure; it's the first step to learning and getting crystal clear information.

So, stop pretending. Embrace "I don't know" - and then go find out.

If this resonates with you, discover more on my blog!

Sentry blog image

How I fixed 20 seconds of lag for every user in just 20 minutes.

Our AI agent was running 10-20 seconds slower than it should, impacting both our own developers and our early adopters. See how I used Sentry Profiling to fix it in record time.

Read more

Top comments (2)

Collapse
 
gregharis profile image
Grëg Häris

"So, stop pretending. Embrace "I don't know" - and then go find out."

That sums it up.

We should learn to accept when don't know the answers but never stop there. The next step is to Go find the answers.

Thanks for sharing this

Collapse
 
programmerraja profile image
Boopathi

This is a really refreshing perspective! "I don't know" can be so powerful, and it's something we should all embrace more often.

The Most Contextual AI Development Assistant

Pieces.app image

Our centralized storage agent works on-device, unifying various developer tools to proactively capture and enrich useful materials, streamline collaboration, and solve complex problems through a contextual understanding of your unique workflow.

👥 Ideal for solo developers, teams, and cross-company projects

Learn more

👋 Kindness is contagious

Please leave a ❤️ or a friendly comment on this post if you found it helpful!

Okay