Not Afraid to Admit - I Don’t Know

  • Published
  • By Col. Michael Grismer
  • 436th Airlift Wing commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  As Air Force professionals, we have an insatiable desire to be all-knowing about everything in our job jar. Knowledge is power--couple it with proficiency and we achieve mission success. Unfortunately, there is not enough time in the day to be the expert on all topics. Inevitably, there will come a day when we utter those dreaded words "I don't know." In most cases, answering "I don't know" followed by "but let me find out and get back with you" is an appropriate response. Professionals provide correct information and respond with honest answers, even if it means swallowing pride and admitting ignorance on a certain subject. 

Information flow today is lighting fast and with it, comes an expectation for fast service, and quick responses. This motivates society to achieve timeliness over accuracy. It is common today to see a lack of personal responsibility as many fail to see the unintended consequences of poor decisions made with incorrect information. Be wary of a propensity for exaggeration, misinformation, missed information, or omissions of truth. Let others believe your simple "yes" or "no," and you will be known as a trustworthy person. 

Listen carefully for responses, which are frequently preempted with "honestly, truthfully, candidly" or "to be frank with you." These lead-in statements infer half-truths, and may foster mistrust. Such qualifiers are not necessary if truth follows. I'm reminded of sage words by our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, who said, "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." 

As military professionals we cannot afford deteriorating integrity standards or complacency. We have too much at stake and bad decisions made with missed information or misinformation can jeopardize the safety of our teammates and mission success.  "Integrity First" is the bedrock of our professional Air Force and the reason why the U.S. military is the most trusted institution in America. Each of us must continue to earn this trust every day because without it, we will fail.