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on or try to change the subject to avoid the question.It’s okay to be vulnerable sometimes. No human being has infinite knowledge.In leveling with me, my doctor opened herself up to judgment. I could have called her a bad doctor or said she was unprofessional. Instead, I saw her vulnerability as strength.I asked her for a referral to a teaching hospital and she agreed and continued to support me as I received treatment there.<h2 id="f504">Saying I don’t know takes confidence</h2>My brother, a doctoral-level engineer, told me the more you learn, the more you will realize you don’t know.He was right.In fact, all science is based on figuring out things that are unknown. Scientists formulate opinions, but then they have to experiment and see if their opinion proves true after testing.By confidently saying I don’t know, you can open the door for further investigation into a topic.As a practitioner myself, I know my limitations. I’m one person, there is no way I can specialize in all areas of psychology.I trust my instincts when they tell me I need to aid my patient in finding someone with different expertise than mine. Like my doctor did for me, I want to aid my patients in connecting with the right person to help them if that person is not me.<h2 id="012a">How to say I don’t Know with dignity</h2>A few months ago, I requested records from a medical doctor to aid in providing care for a patient.When the records came, questions were answered with IDK written largely across the answer space. Let’s just say it looked a bit less than professional.Apparently, th

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e doctor hadn’t seen the patient in some time and didn’t feel like they could answer my questions.There is a right way and a wrong way to express your lack of knowledge.In the case above, the doctor could have simply written that she hadn’t seen the patient in some time and would need to schedule a follow-up visit with the patient before responding. This would have been much more professional than scrawling IDK across the page.When expressing your lack of knowledge about something, it is helpful to talk about what you do know and what you are going to do to find out more about what you don’t know.<h2 id="c191">Say I don’t know with your head held high</h2>You should never feel like you have to know everything. There is strength in vulnerability. When you express your lack of knowledge in a respectful way, you build trust with others.I don’t know about you, but I would much rather someone tell me they don’t know something than have them lie to me or mislead me in any way.When you confidently express your lack of knowledge and put forward a plan for getting the information, you come off as proactive and resourceful.If you liked this article and would like to read more, you can follow me <a href="https://sarahelyall.medium.com/subscribe">here</a>!If you aren’t a member of Medium and would like to get access to the thousands of amazing articles across the site, you can use <a href="https://sarahelyall.medium.com/membership">my link</a> to sign up. When you use <a href="https://sarahelyall.medium.com/membership">my link</a>, I will receive a small commission to support my ongoing writing on this site :)</article></body>

Use This Mindset Shift To Confidently Say “I Don’t Know”

Why you shouldn’t worry about expressing your lack of knowledge

Photo by Moose Photos: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-wearing-blue-shawl-lapel-suit-jacket-1036622/

In my early twenties, I developed severe nerve pain. The flare-ups hurt so bad nearly every aspect of my life was limited.

I went to see my family doctor who was an internist. She did every test imaginable to try to find out what was going on but all the tests came back negative.

One day I went for a follow-up and she said, “I know you are in pain, but I don’t know why.”

At that moment she leveled with me not as doctor and patient but as two human beings. She wasn’t ashamed to say she was at the end of the line in terms of options. She didn’t try to make something up or blame me.

I have so much respect for the way she handled that situation. In telling me she didn’t know what else to do, she freed me to go and find answers elsewhere.

It’s okay to be vulnerable

Being willing to admit when you don’t know something requires a level of vulnerability. Saying I don’t know certainly leaves you open to criticism.

Making things up and giving out false information also leaves you open to criticism. You have to pick your poison.

I would rather say I don’t know and get back to someone than give them useless information or try to change the subject to avoid the question.

It’s okay to be vulnerable sometimes. No human being has infinite knowledge.

In leveling with me, my doctor opened herself up to judgment. I could have called her a bad doctor or said she was unprofessional. Instead, I saw her vulnerability as strength.

I asked her for a referral to a teaching hospital and she agreed and continued to support me as I received treatment there.

Saying I don’t know takes confidence

My brother, a doctoral-level engineer, told me the more you learn, the more you will realize you don’t know.

He was right.

In fact, all science is based on figuring out things that are unknown. Scientists formulate opinions, but then they have to experiment and see if their opinion proves true after testing.

By confidently saying I don’t know, you can open the door for further investigation into a topic.

As a practitioner myself, I know my limitations. I’m one person, there is no way I can specialize in all areas of psychology.

I trust my instincts when they tell me I need to aid my patient in finding someone with different expertise than mine. Like my doctor did for me, I want to aid my patients in connecting with the right person to help them if that person is not me.

How to say I don’t Know with dignity

A few months ago, I requested records from a medical doctor to aid in providing care for a patient.

When the records came, questions were answered with IDK written largely across the answer space. Let’s just say it looked a bit less than professional.

Apparently, the doctor hadn’t seen the patient in some time and didn’t feel like they could answer my questions.

There is a right way and a wrong way to express your lack of knowledge.

In the case above, the doctor could have simply written that she hadn’t seen the patient in some time and would need to schedule a follow-up visit with the patient before responding. This would have been much more professional than scrawling IDK across the page.

When expressing your lack of knowledge about something, it is helpful to talk about what you do know and what you are going to do to find out more about what you don’t know.

Say I don’t know with your head held high

You should never feel like you have to know everything. There is strength in vulnerability. When you express your lack of knowledge in a respectful way, you build trust with others.

I don’t know about you, but I would much rather someone tell me they don’t know something than have them lie to me or mislead me in any way.

When you confidently express your lack of knowledge and put forward a plan for getting the information, you come off as proactive and resourceful.

If you liked this article and would like to read more, you can follow me here!

If you aren’t a member of Medium and would like to get access to the thousands of amazing articles across the site, you can use my link to sign up. When you use my link, I will receive a small commission to support my ongoing writing on this site :)