I learned this lesson the hard way, lying on an exam table in an urgent care clinic, feeling miserable, exhausted, and just wanting a real answer.
After spending hours trying to get guidance from my GP with little response, I finally gave up and went to urgent care. I explained my symptoms, answered questions, and waited for clarity.
Instead, the nurse practitioner looked at me and said:
“Well… you might have MS.”
I blinked.
Multiple Sclerosis?
No tests. No scans. No blood work. No explanation of how she reached that conclusion. Just a wildly serious diagnosis delivered casually, as if she were guessing the weather.
I was upset for about ten seconds.
Then I laughed.
Not because it was funny, but because it was absurd.
Still, the damage was done. A statement like that sticks with you, even when you know it makes no sense. It plants a seed of fear that didn’t need to exist.
So, I went to a third urgent care clinic.
This time, they did what should have happened from the beginning: they listened, ran blood work, and took the situation seriously.
The actual diagnosis?
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from a tick bite.
Light years away from Multiple Sclerosis.
Treatable. Clear. Grounded in evidence.
And most importantly honest.
The Real Lesson
This experience had nothing to do with medicine and everything to do with how we respond when we don’t know the answer.
There is incredible power in saying:
- “I don’t know yet.”
- “I need more information.”
- “Let me look into that.”
Those phrases don’t make you look weak.
They make you trustworthy.
What does damage trust is filling silence with speculation. Or offering an answer simply to appear confident. Or saying something dramatic without evidence just to sound decisive.
People are remarkably understanding when you’re honest about uncertainty.
They are far less forgiving when you’re careless with your words.
Why This Matters in Business
In business, this happens every day.
A client asks a complex question. A timeline is unclear. A solution isn’t fully formed. A risk hasn’t been evaluated.
And the pressure kicks in:
I should say something.
I should have an answer.
I don’t want to look unprepared.
So instead, people guess. They overpromise. They speculate. They speak before they think.
And just like that nurse practitioner, they create unnecessary fear, confusion, or false expectations.
Clients don’t want fast answers.
They want accurate ones.
They want honesty, clarity, and transparency. They want to know that if you don’t have the answer today, you’ll find the right one tomorrow.
That builds credibility.
That builds confidence.
That builds long-term relationships.
A Better Way Forward
The next time you feel pressured to respond immediately, try this instead:
Pause.
Breathe.
Then say something real.
Because a thoughtful delay is far better than a confident mistake.
And sometimes, the most professional answer in the room is simply:
“I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out.”
If this story resonates with you, share it with a colleague, leader, or business owner who could use the reminder: speed doesn’t equal credibility—truth does.
Ready to learn more? Contact CommCore Marketing at www.commcoremarketing.com or call 314-308-0799 for expert guidance and support.
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