Hi Reader,

I’ve spent a good chunk of my career on the periphery of large organisations—watching, listening, documenting. And one thing I’ve consistently observed is this: the biggest risk isn’t incompetence around what they are doing. It’s unrecognised incompetence.

Let me explain...

This is what Dunning and Kruger were getting at years ago. Their research uncovered something many of us witness every day but don’t have the language for.

They found that the least competent performers dramatically overestimate their abilities.

Meanwhile, the highest performers often slightly underestimate themselves.

That gap—that blind spot—is where so many of our systems falter.

I’ve seen senior leadership teams confidently implement strategies built on false assumptions. I’ve sat in meetings where the loudest voice won, not the most informed. And I’ve worked on the aftermath—fixing the messes left by misplaced confidence.

Dunning and Kruger summed it up like this: “The same incompetence that leads people to make poor choices also robs them of the ability to recognise their own mistakes.” That’s the double bind. You don’t know what you don’t know. And worse—you think you do.

Get to it, Gerry, what can we do to highlight this?

Here’s what I’ve come to see as essential toolkit material for navigating this space:

1. Map your circle of competence. Know what you know. More importantly, know what you don’t.
2. Normalise saying “I don’t know.” It’s a sign of strength, not weakness. Note: If you're a leader and reading this, and you haven't said those words or heard those words in meetings over the last few weeks in team meetings, maybe it's time to look at booking some time in for training :-)
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   Last one, and it's easier said than done.
3. Challenge certainty. Especially your own. Make questioning part of the culture.

If you’re leading teams, designing policy, or shaping services—don’t confuse confidence with clarity.

Competence with charisma.

Use reflective practices to check the mirror. Because from where I often sit, just outside the core, I can see the cracks forming before the walls come down.

And for those of us stuck in the upside down world—feeling like we don’t know enough—you’re likely on the path toward actual expertise.

Keep going.

You've got this!

Note: If you'd like to explore how we could work together with your organisation, please feel free to set up a time to speak on our training page.

Gerry Scullion​ Founder & Designer Connect with me on LinkedIn | Join our Directory​

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