"I don't know." Three simple words. But they can be one of the toughest things a person can say.

But it shouldn't be, nor should there be a stigma attached to saying that! 

If you’re struggling to say “I don’t know,” says Lizette Warner, author of Power, Poise, and Presence: A New Approach to Authentic Leadership. She suggests digging deeper to find the source of your discomfort. You may find some difficult memories connected to not having the answers, which often stem back to childhood and an experience at school.

“I get this memory of me in third grade, standing in front of the class with people staring me down,” Warner says. “My shoulders start to tighten, my throat constricts, and I start to tell myself these terrible stories like, ‘They’re going to think I’m stupid.’ All of that resurfaces anytime I have an ‘I don’t know’ moment.”

When you’re comfortable saying “I don’t know” in a calm and steady voice, however, your audience will follow your lead by listening and leaning in. 

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