What if what you (think) you know is stopping you from seeing more?
We don’t fail because we don’t know enough. We often fail because we think we know more than we do.
This is called the illusion of knowledge—the dangerous belief that we already have the answers. It’s subtle, it’s sneaky, and it’s everywhere. When we assume we understand something deeply—just because we’ve skimmed a report, heard a podcast, or spent time near experts—we close ourselves off to learning. And when leaders fall into this trap, the costs can be enormous.
The illusion of knowledge shows up when we make confident decisions based on incomplete understanding. It keeps us from asking questions. It tricks us into thinking we’ve “got this” when we’re really just borrowing someone else’s insights. In today’s complex world, partial knowledge presented with full confidence is a recipe for blind spots.
What’s the antidote? Intellectual humility. That means saying, “I don’t know … yet,” and then doing the work to learn more. It means seeking out the gaps in your understanding—before they become costly mistakes.
Three actions for the week:
Before your next big decision, ask: “What don’t I fully understand about this yet?”
Challenge your assumptions by reading something from outside your usual sources.
Say “I don’t know … yet” at least once this week—and treat it as strength, not weakness.
🟨 LINKS TO PRE-ORDER - all the links to pre-order Blindspotting, available from 3 June in hard copy, e-book and audio book - https://www.kirstinferguson.com/books/
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