What if they think I’m incompetent?

When I left the Army and went to work for the telephone company, I became the new guy.

I knew almost nothing about the telephone business or how the systems and processes worked.

Yet I was responsible for 40 to 50 people who knew far more about the job than I did.

I expected myself to provide direction.

I felt the judgment of my peers, my boss, and the people I was responsible for leading.

I was supposed to have answers.

The problem was that I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

I believed that if I asked too many questions, people would think I was unqualified and lose respect for me.

So I did what many leaders do.

I tried to fake it.

I made decisions based on gut instinct and hoped for the best.

But hope is not a very good strategy.

The truth was that I wasn’t fooling anyone.

They knew I didn’t know what I was doing.

And by refusing to ask questions, I learned an important lesson:

I did not merely appear incompetent.

I was incompetent.

Fortunately, I had several supervisors who cared enough to help me find my footing.

Over time I learned something that changed the way I lead.

We often believe that leaders are supposed to have all the answers.

We assume that asking for help is a sign of weakness.

In reality, it is often a sign of wisdom.

Nobody has all the answers.

The best decisions are rarely made in isolation.

Wise leaders seek counsel from people who have already traveled the path.

They seek out people with different experiences and even opposing viewpoints.

They ask questions.

They listen.

They learn.

That does not mean leadership by committee.

The responsibility for the decision still belongs to the leader.

Great leaders know when they have gathered enough input and when it is time to make the call.

They also know when they were wrong and have the humility to change course.

The strongest leaders I know are confident enough to admit they don’t know everything.

They surround themselves with people who challenge their thinking rather than simply tell them what they want to hear.

Where are you trying to fake it today?

And who can you turn to for help?