The courage to say ‘I don’t know’ – a New Leadership Superpower

When was the last time you said, “I don’t know” or “I have no idea”?

In a world that rewards certainty, how can a leader be self-assured and openly admit they don’t have all the answers?

It takes personal maturity and courage to say in public, “I have no idea.

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Yes, it’s possible. Yes, it’s a mysterious internal dance that twirls between confidence and uncertainty.

And yes, let’s be honest, most of the time in business and in life, aren’t we constantly navigating the unknown?

I’ve lived and led through two hyperinflations, global black swans, economic booms and busts, investor panics, rapid technological shifts, and the collapse of political systems. You’d think by now, nothing would catch me off guard.

And yet—recently, I find myself jolted out of familiar thinking in ways I never expected, as if even the surprises are surprising themselves.

Our new type of "now" is unlike anything before—growing more complex, wildly unpredictable, and advancing technology is speeding change up. How good are you with holding uncertainty?

A two-year strategy becomes obsolete in six months. Investor-leadership loyalty is no more, while market valuations can be wiped out overnight by political decisions.

Still, we want to know. We want to make sure. We crave an absolute level of certainty. We want to control the environment and have a reassuring comfort that we know what we are doing. That we are leading people in the right direction, despite the fact that business destinations are by definition largely unknown.

The ‘runaway growth’ of everything we are used to has made us enslaved to the habit of wanting more and wanting to know, wanting to figure it out, to ease discomfort, and to tell our people that we know. Confidence comes from being right, doesn’t it?

In a recent conversation with a strategist from a listed global $78Bn giant we explored what kind of strategy truly wins clients - if ‘winning’ is even still a thing at all. He was pitching a high-stakes global deal, the third contender in a beauty parade of consultants and B2B partners. Sitting across from the Company’s President he locked eyes and said:

"Dear President, I could pretend I know. I could ‘wow’ you into this deal with a multi-year discount and a solid pitch. But the truth is, I don’t know—and I don’t think anyone truly does—what your industry will look like by the end of 2026. What I can commit to is an authentic partnership—one where we figure it out together and co-create a future that serves both, your organisation and mine. What do you say?"

Now that’s a strategy…

We can “only” do our best - one step at a time - constantly responding to the ever-emerging present. And when you do, you will find your presence carries more weight, your influence grows, and those around you will nod in admiration…

It’s time to leave behind how we’ve been conditioned to value ‘knowing’. To not expect to be rewarded for school-like memorising and spitting stuff back. Knowledge in today’s world, born from intellect, has its limits. The processing power of any closed circuit-like brain system is limited —especially when the past no longer predetermines the future. And that’s where we are. Right now.

True self-assurance doesn’t come from having all the answers—it comes from tapping into your wisdom and deep knowing that the next step will inform the next move…and that will inform the next action. One of the muscles of long-term resilience is failing fast and failing forward. Self-assurance resides in open circuit thinking that is available to us all, and in fearless experimenting, initiating and pivoting as circumstances shift.

And most of all, it comes from the ability to look straight into those judging eyes with nothing but a peaceful smile.

As you board the everyday rollercoaster of your business, I am here to support your expansion.