Superman had his Kryptonite, but otherwise, he could do almost anything.
But he didn’t know everything.
And yet our clients think we do know everything. Or think we should.
Which is why some lawyers avoid telling their clients they don’t know the answer to their question, or how to do something that needs to be done.
They don’t want to appear weak or inexperienced. They want clients to think they can do anything.
But that can be a mistake.
Clients know you don’t know everything. They know you are human. And they appreciate it when you don’t pretend to be something you’re not.
When you tell them you don’t know something, but also tell them you’ll find out, e.g., do some research or give it some thought, they respect your honesty and transparency. That builds trust and loyalty, which is always a good thing.
But there are limits.
Clients expect you to know certain things because you went to law school or have been practicing for a long time. You’re a lawyer, for darn sake, so you should know!
If you say, “I don’t know,” they might get scared or confused, right? So, what should do? Where do you you draw the line? How much should you “admit” you don’t know or can’t do?
Should you fake it? Give a partial answer and resort to the usual “it depends”? Tell them you’ll get started and get back to them?
The answer is, I don’t know. Because I don’t.
This is something you have to figure out and every situation and client and query is different.
If you don’t know the answer, if you need to do some research, think about it, or ask a colleague, tell them why.
Explain the issues, options, or complications. Explain why there is no simple answer, which is why you don’t have the answer on the tip of your tongue.
It’s okay to tell your client you don’t know, but make sure you explain why you don’t know.
And then, tell them you’ll find out.
Because it all comes down to showing clients you respect them enough to tell them the truth, as difficult as that might be sometimes, but you’ll do everything you can to protect them, advise them, and help them.
In the end, that truly is your super power.
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