Here is the most embarrassing story of my career (so far). Are you ready? It’s a doozy.
As a young professional transitioning from assistant into my first entry-level position, I was asked to sit in on my first important new-business meeting. It was just me and the CEO of my company—the big guy, my mentor and one of the most respected men in his industry.
I wasn’t asked to present at the meeting, I was asked just to be there. My boss was a fly by the seat of his pants kind of guy and wasn’t into the whole “death by decks” presentation. His reputation spoke for itself and didn’t need a whole lot of bells and whistles in order to land new business.
Me on the other hand? I was a nobody. An ameba. I knew I had to prove that I could carry myself like a mover and shaker even though I neither moved nor shook anything.
So there I was in the meeting. Lots of makeup, a clean shirt and slacks and way-too-high heels. I carried in my coffee cup as if to say “Hey, I’m just casually drinking this here cup o’ joe. I’m not nervous to meet you! Why would I be? I’m super important!”
Somehow I lasted the meeting. I perhaps threw in a few sentences with overly dressed adjectives to seem smart and gave a confident and firm handshake on the way out.
My boss was impressed! He even trusted me to send the follow-up email on how we could work with this person. This could very likely be my first big account! I could be lead on this account! I COULD ONE DAY OWN THIS COMPANY!!
Then came my follow-up. I addressed the email to “Mr. Mailer,” the very important Norman we had just met with.
Only we hadn’t met with Norman Mailer…we met with Norman Lear. Oof.
Needless to say, we didn’t get the account.
So why am I telling you this? Well, one woman’s embarrassment is another woman/man’s learning opportunity.
“I don’t know.”
It’s a complete sentence that so many of us are loathe to admit.
We’re supposed to be experts in our chosen field, and if we dare to admit we don’t know something, we are weak or ill-informed or not a “master” or “ninja” or “chief” something or other.
But what happens when we admit we don’t know something? When we show our naivety but a willingness and hunger to learn? What if I had gone into that meeting with less emphasis on how important I should be and instead focused on what I didn’t know and how to then know the things I didn’t know?!
My challenge to you is to be ok saying “I don’t know… but I’m going to find out!”