Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

I have learned that I am not capable of being prepared for everything. Hence, I have learned to be prepared for being unprepared.

I often speak in front of people, lead discussions, teach classes, and generally attend meetings where people ask me questions. I am often unprepared for what people ask. I am, however, prepared to be unprepared.

This preparing to be unprepared may seem odd, but I have met many people who feel the need to be absolutely ready to answer any question and encounter any situation. Perhaps I am not as smart as they or maybe I am just too lazy these days. I prefer to think of it as being more realistic in my estimation of my own abilities.

I am just not smart enough to be prepared for everything.

Hence, I prepare to be unprepared. This isn’t that difficult once I admit my own failings. What I do is have all the needed answers at the ready. Answers such as:

• I don’t know.
• I can’t remember.
• I recall seeing or hearing something about that, but I don’t have the details with me.

I am not refusing to work. The above unprepared prepared responses are followed by:

• If you wish, I will take the time and effort to learn about that.
• If you wish, I will research that and refresh my memory.
• If you wish, I will find my notes and learn the details.

When I talk to some people about my unprepared preparedness, they tell me

You couldn’t get away with that where I work. If you gave such an answer, you would be eaten alive.

Further discussion reveals that the people have actually never seen anyone eaten alive, cut to pieces, killed, or any other such hyperbole that is often tossed about. I suppose that is the foundation of my preparedness of the unprepared. Some wise people helped me to notice that such threats were hyperbole and not reality.