Make Great Decisions Without Having All the Answers

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Hey Fam,

During a high-stakes product launch, Arjun, a leading AI strategist, was faced with a decision that could make or break the project.

The stakes were massive—millions in potential revenue, clients ready to jump ship if it failed. But even with years of expertise, this challenge was uncharted territory.

Instead of pretending to have all the answers, he leaned into curiosity. He gathered his team and posed three critical questions:

• “What blind spots am I missing?”

• “What are the most likely points of failure?”

• “If you were in my shoes, what would you do?”

This simple approach uncovered risks he hadn’t considered and led to a breakthrough solution.

Here’s the reality: Subject matter expertise isn’t about knowing everything—it’s about knowing how to uncover what you don’t.

Knowledge gaps aren’t weaknesses; they’re opportunities to build better outcomes.

One thing continues to stand out from my research on decision-making: The smartest experts aren’t afraid to ask, “What don’t I know?”

Unfortunately, we too often confuse being decisive with being all-knowing.

And treat knowledge gaps like credibility gaps, when really they’re opportunities for better solutions.

Every time you fake knowing everything, you miss out on insights that could change your choice.

Fact is:

• Complexity makes complete knowledge impossible

• Change happens faster than individual expertise

• Cross-functional decisions require multiple perspectives

• The cost of fake expertise is rising

So, we all have to get comfortable making decisions without having all the answers.

Yep, I’ve got another framework for you.

The LEARN Framework (Because Knowing Everything Is Impossible)

L - List Knowledge Gaps: Identify what you don’t know clearly
E - Engage Specialists: Connect with relevant experts
A - Analyze Patterns: Look for insights across perspectives
R - Remain Curious: Keep questioning assumptions
N - Navigate Forward: Make informed choices confidently

Let’s get it

L - List Knowledge Gaps

Think of this like mapping unexplored territory:

• Create a detailed list of what you don’t fully understand yet

• What could be the most critical missing pieces?

• What assumptions are you making and why are they risky?

• Where are your past experiences creating blind spots?

What holds you back: "I should know this already"
What moves you forward: "Here are the specific areas where we need more insight"

You can’t solve a puzzle without knowing which pieces are missing. Acknowledging gaps is the first step to filling them.

E - Engage Specialists

Think of this like assembling an expert panel:

• Who has direct experience in your gap areas?

• Set up focused conversations with clear learning objectives

• Document perspectives systematically

• Cross-reference insights to confirm understanding

What holds you back: "Asking for help shows weakness"
What moves you forward: "Let’s use what we have"

Tapping into expertise isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s the shortcut to insight and better decisions.

A - Analyze Patterns

Think of this like being a detective:

• Look for common themes across expert opinions

• Map where consensus exists and where views differ

• Which factors keep surfacing as important?

• What surprises you that challenges your initial assumptions?

What holds you back: "I just need one right answer"
What moves you forward: "What are the patterns across perspectives?"

Patterns hold the key to clarity. Find them, and the big picture becomes much clearer.

R - Remain Curious

Think of this like a scientist:

• Question your assumptions, especially the obvious ones

• Seek out opposing views and understand their reasoning

• Stay open to new information that challenges your thinking

• Practice saying "Tell me more" instead of defending your position

What holds you back: "I need to look like I have answers"
What moves you forward: "What else is true here?"

Curiosity keeps you evolving. The moment you stop questioning is the moment you stop growing.

N - Navigate Forward

Think of this like a ship’s captain:

• Make decisions based on what you have

• Document your thinking and what’s still unknown

• Set up feedback checkpoints

• Build in room to adjust course

What holds you back: "I need to be 100% sure first"
What moves you forward: "Here’s what we know and how we’ll learn more"

Progress trumps perfection. Navigate with what you know, and adjust as you learn.

Great decision-making is a skill built over time. Even if you are a technical expert in your own right. 

Each step you take—no matter how small—adds to your growth and confidence.

Let’s jump into an example:

Instead of analysis paralysis:

• List Gaps: "Here’s what I know, here’s what I need to learn."

• Engage Specialists: "Help me understand what I’m missing here."

• Analyze Patterns: "I see these patterns across opinions."

• Remain Curious: "What should I be assuming?"

• Navigate Forward: "Based on what we have, here’s our way."

Result: You make an informed decision based on multiple perspectives.

POLL

Your credibility doesn’t come from knowing everything - it comes from knowing how to learn what matters.

Sometimes the smartest thing you can say is, “I don’t know, but I know how to find out.”

Thanks. Be easy!
Girvin🫡

P.S. Hit reply and share a time when you admitted what you didn’t know, and it led to a better decision. What did you learn?

P.P.S If you ask people what soft skills are and which is most important, you may get different answers. Here’s my take.

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