Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

“I don’t know” and “I don’t want to say” are close cousins. They also carry much information if we are willing to listen.

• “I don’t know.”
• “I can’t say.”
• “I don’t want to say anything now as I may be divulging too much or incorrect information.”

Would you please tell me something? Wait, the other person is telling me something. It may not be what I want to hear, but the other person is telling me something.

Ignorance is information—valuable information.

• The other person doesn’t have information.
• The other person cannot find the words.
• The other person cannot massage the data into information.
• The other person is afraid.

The first shows that the other person may lack the resources to gather information.

The second shows that the other person may lack the resources to communicate.

The third shows that the other person may lack the resources to analyze data.

The last item on the list is frightening to me. I am working with a frightened person. What monster lurking?

The entire list provides me with further questions like, “May I provide resources?”

Hmmm, now we are working again instead of staring across a table at one another.