by Chude Jideonwo

I was on a TV interview, and they asked me a question about monetary policy and I said “I don’t know.”

Ask me about mental and emotional health. Ask me about media planning, public relations, storytelling consulting, coaching and training young people, but monetary policy is above my pay grade.

It was a shock for me to say. You know, I’ve worked in politics. I’ve worked in nation building but that day I learnt that saying I don’t know is one of the powerful things. And I say it a lot.

When you say ‘I don’t know’, it opens a world of possibilities for you. It opens creativity, curiosity, and humility.

Once you say you don’t know, it opens a door. Once you lie that you know when you don’t know, there is nothing to learn, because you know. When you say ‘I don’t know’, you now start a process of knowing.

It is so simple. It is so powerful. Why don’t a lot of people do it?

I don’t know.

Onyinye Udeh