The Power of Not Knowing

by: Louise LeBrun & Gwen McCauley

We spend more time at work than we spend anywhere else in our adult lives. Even so, few of us ever consider the possibility that work isn't something we do, or a place we go to, but an experience we create. And sometimes, we don't make it much fun! Given that we spend more waking time at work than anywhere else, imagine the profound results on the quality of our lives if we were to make a significant change in the way we create work.

We want work environments that support and sustain life; that invite health, humor, compassion and truth. We want to succeed without having to sacrifice our integrity or anyone else's. We want to take part in creating something greater than ourselves; be part of something where the whole is more than the sum of its parts; a place where magic and miracles are a part of life. We want to be part of making the world a better place for us and our children. We want to be able to grow and expand; to stretch; and finally, to spread our wings and fly. We want our experience of flight to stand as a model of what's possible and a testimony to our courage to take the risks that will bring joy, vitality and delight back into the realm of day-to-day living.

We want to be able to breathe deeply; to relax and to laugh; to create and bring new ideas and approaches and opportunities into the light of day. We want to open ourselves to new experiences and create them for others, without the fear of being ridiculed or humiliated or dismissed. We want to be able to have work be part of our complete life process and have room for our families and friends, without the fear of being marginalized or made irrelevant.

All of this is achievable when we allow two things to happen:
(1) we let ourselves be open to new ideas and influences and
(2) we let the brilliance of who we are be seen by others.

It's not always easy to be willing not to know. So many rewards for knowing. So much effort invested in resources to ensure that we do know, believing that is what's required for us to be prepared. In today's economy, certainty and predictability have given way, replaced by the after-effects of upheaval and chaos. Some would even have predicted collapse… and yet we continue. How is it that we always seem to manage to find our way, often with even greater financial and emotional rewards? Who would have thought that a new idea, a new career or a new company could have been spawned by downsizing, layoff and the forced creativity that these situations evoke. Perhaps there is a process in play that we do not always recognize.

Ask yourself "When was the last time that I fully considered someone else's idea that I'd initially thought was hare-brained?" "Do I accept input from colleagues, friends, family?" "When was the last time I learned something new about myself?" "Do I let other people know what I'm really capable of?" "When did I last share a moment of personal pride or joy with someone at work?"

In the words of Marianne Williamson (often attributed to Nelson Mandela) "…as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear our presence automatically liberates others."

This article was originally published in Australian Business Magazine, February 2002 issue. You may reproduce it in its entirety with appropriate acknowledgement of the authors.