The Power of Saying ‘I Don’t Know’ (Especially in Leadership)
A lot of leaders are deeply uncomfortable not knowing something. Somewhere along the way, they got the message that leaders should always have a plan, always have an answer, always be ten steps ahead. So they fake it. They bluff. They pretend. They isolate themselves in ivory towers, pretending they have all the answers, like some kind of shitty Merlin without the dragons or magic.
And that’s how you get half-baked strategies, awkward silences in all-hands meetings, and teams that don’t quite trust their leadership—but can’t always articulate why.
Here’s the truth: saying “I don’t know” isn’t a weakness. It’s a reset button. It’s a clearing of the fog. It’s the start of getting somewhere real.
Why ‘I Don’t Know’ Is a Power Move
1. It builds credibility
Nobody expects you to have every answer. But they do expect honesty. When you try to fake it or bluff your way through, people can feel it—and they stop trusting what you say.
When you say “I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” or “I don’t know, let’s figure it out together,” you’re showing that you’re grounded, self-aware, and more committed to truth than ego. That makes people more willing to come to you, to work with you, and to believe in your leadership.
Trust goes up. Anxiety goes down. And the whole team starts to feel a little more secure in the unknown.
2. It creates space for better answers
When leaders pretend to know things they don’t, they don’t just make bad calls—they shut everyone else down. Teams start to think, “Well, I guess that’s what we’re doing,” even if it doesn’t make sense. Smarter solutions stay in someone’s head because the environment doesn’t feel safe to challenge the default.
But if you’re willing to admit you’re unsure, you open the door to real collaboration. Suddenly, it’s not about having the perfect answer right away—it’s about getting curious, asking better questions, and crowdsourcing a better solution.
You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. You just have to make the room smarter. That’s how great teams work.
3. It models the kind of culture people want to be part of
Teams take their cues from the top. If leaders are defensive, teams go quiet. If leaders are curious and open, teams start asking better questions and taking better risks. Psychological safety isn’t a perk—it’s a prerequisite for excellent work.
When a leader says, “I don’t know,” it sends a signal that uncertainty is okay here. That you won’t be punished for not having every answer. That you’re allowed to learn out loud. THAT’S OKAY! It’s not possible to have every answer all the time! People know that and they’re fine with it.
This kind of culture doesn’t just feel good—it performs better. Teams innovate more. People speak up earlier. You catch issues before they turn into disasters. It shifts the energy of a team from reactive to proactive, from closed to curious.
Saying “I don’t know” isn’t weak. It’s leadership. It tells people, “Uncertainty is normal here. We’re not here to be perfect. We’re here to learn.”
How to Say It Well
"That’s a great question. I don’t have the answer right now, but I’ll dig in."
"I’m not sure yet, but let’s walk through what we do know."
"This is new territory. Let’s figure it out together."
You’re not shirking responsibility. You’re showing up honestly.
What This Changes
When leaders embrace “I don’t know,” decision-making gets better. Problem-solving improves. Teams stop waiting to be told what to do and start building real ownership.
It also rewires the way people relate to each other. Teams shift from performative confidence to actual collaboration. People start raising flags sooner. They speak up when something’s unclear. And suddenly, you’re not just reacting to problems—you’re getting ahead of them.
It’s not magic. It’s just honesty.
And that honesty? It’s contagious. Once someone at the top models that level of groundedness, other people feel safer doing the same.
You don’t have to know everything. You just have to lead like someone who’s willing to find the truth—even if it takes a minute.
The Threadsmith Group Approach
At The Threadsmith Group, we work with leaders who want to lead with clarity, not ego. If you’re tired of pretending you’ve got it all figured out and ready to build a team culture that values curiosity, honesty, and growth, let’s talk.
You don’t have to have the answer. You just have to be willing to ask better questions.
Let’s build better.