Let’s talk about knowing.
There are things you know, you know. There are things you know. And the things you know you don’t know.
- When I read something about nuclear physics: I know I dont know.
- When I read something elemental about social marketing; I know. (Click here to read about the myth of the Guru.)
- When I read something about a marketing campaign I contributed to: I know, I know. (Channeling my inner Dr. Suess.)
It’s important to figure out which state of knowing you’re in, based on the subject at hand. I run into a lot of C-Level customers that have read an article and they truly believe they know, when in fact they should do more research to find out if they truly know or they just feel like the know. In order for you to act on a business imperative, it’s important that you know you know and if you don’t know you should find someone who does know, or maybe a couple of people who know they know. It’s always safer if you know you don’t know. Then you’ll feel more comfortable asking for help. (This is a critical aspect of new leadership. It’s okay not to know.) Lastly, it’s safe to say that even when you feel like you know you know, you probably don’t know as much as you feel like you know. This is common given the marketing industry and the true arrival of mobile and social marketing. Just feel secure in the fact that you’re not alone . . . you know?
