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You say, ‘I know how that works.’ Then someone with more experience adds one detail, and the subject suddenly becomes complicated. What looked like a straight road now has five junctions. You would quite like to escort your confident earlier self quietly out of the meeting.
There is a difference between thinking we know and knowing what we have actually checked. Here is a line that invites a closer look at that boundary.
Confidence is not the same as knowledge
ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge
Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man, Introduction. Excerpt.
Darwin goes on to discuss people declaring that certain problems will never be solved by science. His context is the possibility of understanding human origins. This is not a quotation to use as a verdict that a colleague is ignorant.
Make the boundaries of ‘I know’ visible
Applied to everyday work, the line might prompt us to consider the conditions behind an explanation. Before saying, ‘This method will work,’ ask whether the situation matches last time. Is there an exception? Did you hear about the method, check the documentation, or try it yourself? Separating those things can change how you explain it.
‘It worked under these conditions last time. I will check this part for the current situation.’ That takes a few more words, but it lets the other person see what is established and what remains uncertain. You are not hiding behind vagueness; you are identifying what needs checking.
There is a reverse shortcut to avoid, too: confidence does not automatically mean someone is wrong. Confidence can rest on experience and evidence, and cautious wording does not guarantee accuracy. The explanation matters more than how forcefully it is delivered.
Add one honest ‘I will check’ today
You do not have to investigate everything exhaustively before speaking. In one conversation today, simply identify one point you have not verified: ‘I have not checked that part yet. I will look into it and get back to you.’ Add a likely response time when needed.
Finding a gap in your knowledge does not make everything you knew yesterday worthless. It adds another junction to your map of the subject. Not being ready to make an immediate declaration can be part of explaining something carefully.
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Read the Japanese companion article.
Source and interpretation
Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, Introduction. Quotation reference: Oxford Reference: Charles Darwin. The quotation is an excerpt; the Japanese companion uses our own translation. The workplace examples and communication suggestions are this article’s reflections, not Darwin’s stated advice.
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