Why saying "I don't know" builds trust | Amy Edmondson

21 Oct 2026 · 1 min

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In this excerpt from Amy Edmondson’s talk, she argues that regularly admitting uncertainty—saying “I don’t know”—is a sign of attentiveness and a catalyst for psychological safety. By vocalizing uncertainty, teams unlock open dialogue, build trust, and create a collaborative environment. Edmondson notes that the most successful teams often appear messy during the “how” phase, reflecting a willingness to experiment and make mistakes. She warns against the cultural bias that prizes being right over learning from errors, and she calls for organizations to celebrate disappointing results that arise from exploring new territory, while still rejecting laziness or sloppy effort.

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If you're not saying, I don't know, several times a day, you're not paying attention. And when we say, I don't know, it unlocks the room. It's refreshing. You're building trust. The most successful teams probably look the messiest during the how. The only mistake we make is thinking we shouldn't make mistakes. We would so much rather be right than wrong. And then we have this risk because of that, because of that programming. We don't celebrate sloppy work. We don't celebrate failing to put in the effort, but we We must celebrate disappointing results in new territory.