I know that I don’t know much about sports (of any kind). And I don’t care that I don’t know much. I can make fun of myself. I can ask others. And there’s no substantive impact on my life or my friendships or my business or….
There’s lots of stuff I do know. And I know how to fill in the gaps of lots of my not knowing.
But what about the important stuff that I don’t know and don’t know that I don’t know it? I think that matters.
Not knowing what I don’t know…That’s worrisome. For me and my life. For my business. For my clients and my community and my society and my world.
How do we know what we don’t know? By reading lots. By connecting with diverse people. By exposing ourselves to unfamiliar things. By venturing beyond where we’re comfortable.
It’s the same for our organizations. First, decide it’s important to monitor what we don’t know and figure out how to know what we don’t know. Build this into your organizational culture. Establish systems and procedures to do this. Engage regularly in conversation at both staff and board levels.
Knowing what we don’t know… And knowing what we don’t know that we don’t know… Both are super important!
