Are you someone who always has all the answers?
This can be a symptom of perfectionism.
Perfectionism is a problem when it leads to:
- Stress, because you always have to be on top of everything.
- Impostor syndrome, since you will “get it wrong” sometimes.
- Boundary problems… always saying “yes” and taking on more.
And where do those lead?
BURNOUT!
At any stage of a career, one of the most important lessons is this:
You DON’T have all the answers.
In fact, no one does.
It’s common for people who were raised to value good grades to feel uncomfortable when they don’t have ready answers to what’s in front of them. They might feel like being unable to contribute means THEY won’t be valued.
The truth is, not knowing is fine.
Even making a mistake isn’t the end of the world. People often look more positively on the one who owns up to and corrects a mistake than on the person who gets everything right.
Why is that?
- The person who gets it right the first time gets to demonstrate their knowledge or skill, BUT…
- The person who isn’t afraid to face the consequences of mistakes gets to show their character.
And it’s a lot easier to boost your skills than to change your character.
Want to take the sting out of not knowing?
Get comfortable with this phrase:
“I don’t know, but I can find out.”
Then, make time to know WHO in your organization has the knowledge you don’t.