By Dr. Randall P. White
Is God left-handed?
It’s a question I heard a few days ago during an NPR interview with the guy running the Mars Lander project. The interviewer asked a tough question, and the subject said, “That’s like asking if God is left-handed.”
That’s a phrase people use when they’re dealing with difficult questions. The current difficult question is probably, “What’s happening to my 401-K?” or, “When can I retire?”
Smart companies let people ask the tough questions. Even smarter companies address these fears and concerns with financial planning, counseling, even career training. Yet these programs are the first to go on the financial chopping block when money gets tight.
Most companies won’t ask the tough questions because it’s hard to say, “I don’t know.” Try this instead—say “I don’t know.” Then it’s not so worrisome when people ask the tough questions. You’ve already admitted you don’t have the answer. That’s human.
Even if you don’t have the answer, let people ask. Asking tough questions gives legitimacy to their concerns, fears, and frustrations. And for the first time, we need to get used to saying there might not be an answer; and what might be the best answer today, might not be the best answer tomorrow.
In the meantime:
• Accept the idea of not knowing
• Commit to trial and error
• Commit to learning from every possible source
• Trust your gut.
Do that, and you don’t have to worry about the answer, because you’re actually working toward a solution.
I’d like to comment on the ability to say “I don’t know”. This answer is a double-edged sword…
I work at a Big 12 University, and we deal with the impact of this every day. Students are often afraid to say “I don’t know” because they fear the judgment of others, ridicule and scorn of their peers and their professors. As an educator, I insist on asking my students questions until they say “I don’t know”. Developing this ability to admit they are ignorant of a fact without damaging that student’s self esteem is absolutely necessary for their further education. As they grow, these students are able to understand when I don’t know is an “acceptable” answer, and when it is not. Herein lies the double edged sword- if a student really does not know, then it is certainly OK for that person to answer, “I don’t know”. However, if I ask a simple question, and they answer “I don’t know” because they are too lazy to think about it, look it up or otherwise- this can also become a crutch, and impair their development in terms of problem solving and free-thinking. As a solution to this dependence on “I don’t know”- I suggest that “We can find the answer, let’s go look for it”. I know that is not necessarily an answer for the future of companies and top leadership, however I think that the solutions presented above are realistic in terms of finding the solutions for the problems ahead. Thanks for the Blog, I am enjoying the entries. Hello to Sandy, George, Katie, Bobbin and all the other hard workers there at EDG.
Posted by Jess White-Phillip on November 5th, 2008.