There is a growing amount of uncertainty in my line of work (more about that here if you’re interested).
Naturally clients have been asking more questions like, “Why is this happening?”, and “What’s going on?”
Initially in my career I would never have admitted to a client that the answer to their burning question is “I don’t know”.
As I have learned more throughout my career I’ve realized that ‘I don’t know’ is often times the most honest answer I can give. I was almost certain that after I uttered my first ‘I don’t know’ on a client call that I would be fired instantly for not being an ‘expert.’
That never happened.
Not only have I not been fired, but I’ve had clients mention that they appreciate the honesty.
There are certain things that are difficult to know with certainty, and you dig yourself further down the rabbit hole each time you try to explain something that you have no idea about. Your arguments are weak and people can usually see right through you. They won’t say anything, but they won’t trust you as much and/or do business with you much in the future.
By saying “I don’t know” you maintain trust, which is the most valuable thing of all.