When You DON'T KNOW What You DON'T KNOW

There's the old saying, ignorance is bliss. But in business, being ignorant is never blissful. In fact, it's stressful, reckless and makes you vulnerable.

In this edition of the Iron Sharpens Iron segments, James breaks down 5 ways that you can work to reduce your vulnerabilities around the things that you don't know that you don't know and avoid the pain and potential harm they could do.

The Setup:

You know the things you know. You also know about the things that you don't know;

But, you are blind to the things that you don't know that you don't know. And this is where you can are most vulnerable and exposed to setbacks and potential catastrophic mistakes.

Coaching Points

#1 Build a network of peers.

This is essential because you can share stories with others who understand where you’re at. Even if they don’t have the answer, they can probably tell you what they tried, what worked, and what didn’t work and that can be valuable information to have, too. 

#2 Attend a workshop, conference, or webinar.

Similar to networking there are always events, seminars and webinars you can learn from. Don’t miss this: part of your job as leader is learning. No one has all the answers, so make sure you’re investing in learning about your industry, related industries, and the skills you and your team need. 

Bonus tip: Make sure you’re not just learning to learn or for the experience. If you attend a conference, set goals and objectives with each of your team about what they want to come away with before the conference. Then, break it down with them after and create actual implementation goals. This is the only way you can ensure you have a return on your investment. 

#3 Build up your presence on LinkedIn and engage with people.

LinkedIn is where it’s at. There’s an enormous amount of wisdom, knowledge and experience there. The vast majority of people there are producing useful content and sharing valuable knowledge. 

You’ll find links to podcasts and videos of various professionals. There is a treasure chest of opportunity there to learn from and grow your network. 

Don’t be a lurker either, get involved and engage with others even if you’re not ready to post yet.

#4 Commit to being a learner.

Perhaps you’ve heard the sayings, leaders are readers and learners are earners. In my experience, both of those statements are absolutely true.

Books, videos, podcasts and e-courses are great learning opportunities. Turn your car into a classroom and listen to audiobooks and podcasts. 

#5 Hire a coach.

Athletes like Tom Brady who played at the highest levels into their mid 40s. All of them have used various coaches throughout their careers. 

So why not you? Why wouldn’t you use a coach to help you improve your business? Sometimes our own pride gets in the way. It’s easy to think that’s for others. Perhaps it’s viewed as weak or you don’t want to be vulnerable. 

A business coach or a leadership coach will help you see things you don’t see. Here’s some ways a coach can help you:

1. They’ll help you navigate through challenges. 
2. They can be a sounding board to bounce ideas around. 
3. The’ll hold you capable to your goals. 

** Confidence Covered By Humility is a podcast by James Mayhew for anyone who wants to lead their business, their team and their home with humble confidence.

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I’m James Mayhew and I am blessed to partner with leaders to build purpose-driven organizations that are filled with talented people doing exceptional work on the most important things.

Thank you for listening! 

– James