What to Say When You Don’t Have the Answer (But Everyone’s Looking at You)
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about how you show up when you don’t.
We’ve all been there — in the boardroom, on Zoom, or during a team meeting. A challenge arises, everyone turns to you… and you feel the pressure to say something smart.
Inside, the honest answer is:
“I don’t know.”
And yet, most leaders feel they can’t say that.
So they fake it.
They deflect.
They delay.
But here’s the real cost:
Those moments of performance over presence slowly erode trust.
Not because you didn’t know the answer…
But because you weren’t willing to own that honestly.
Try saying this instead:
“Right now, I don’t have the full answer — but here’s what I do know.”
“This is unfolding in real time, and I want us to navigate it together.”
This is what I call confident vulnerability.
It’s not weakness. It’s not indecision.
It’s leadership.
Because people don’t need you to be perfect.
They need you to be real.
To hold the space.
To bring presence, not just power.
Uncertainty isn’t a test of your knowledge.
It’s a test of your presence.
So the next time you don’t know — don’t pretend.
Lead anyway.
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The Manager to Leader Shift is my signature program designed for managers who are ready to lead with clarity, confidence, and trust — even in the unknown.
If you’re done performing leadership and ready to start practicing it from a place of presence, let’s talk.