Recently my son asked me a simple question “ what next dad, what happens now?” It is indeed a question on all of our minds. With the vaccine rollout news and smart adaptation, life does seem to be in a new normal. But so many questions linger on : when will we get the vaccines? will we go back to offices ? In what form? Will schools open ? Will the economy rebound?. The honest answer to these questions is “I dont know - IDK”. Although hard at times the best leadership principle is to say I dont know. The phrase has profound power in itself.
1. IDK frees you up to essentially to say we will try many things and if we get few things right and few wrong its ok. Rarely do leaders get that latitude to be wrong but with IDK you can be and everyone will understand.
2. IDK empowers your team around you. As they know they are equally part of the road ahead
3. IDK builds instant trust as it displays vulnerability. That each one of us are similar and in many ways share similar frailties.
4. Finally IDK assures comfort to everyone around that everyone is in it together.
I would strongly encourage all of us to use the power of IDK as we chart our journey ahead. Go ahead, try it and let me know how you felt.