WritingCoaching Corner

You Don’t Need to Know .... Yet. You Need to Stay Open.

1 August 2025

You Don’t Need to Know .... Yet. You Need to Stay Open.

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”

, Albert Einstein

We all crave answers. Plans. Certainty.

But not knowing everything isn’t weakness. It’s honesty.

Staying open isn’t passive. It’s powerful.

In general I have found that one of the most liberating shifts is this:

You don’t have to know (just yet).

You just have to stay curious a little longer.

When we force clarity too soon, we shrink what could be endless possibilities and very often move to advice giving.

We grab the first answer that feels safe, not the one that feels right.

What I mean when I say “staying open” is:

  • Listening without rushing to fix - tame your advice monster

  • Noticing what feels still active, even if it’s unclear

  • Sitting with the question a little longer, dig deeper, start digging

It’s uncomfortable, for sure - but it’s also where real insight lives.

So if you’re in the fog, the pause, the messy middle …. take a breath.

You’re not stuck. You’re still unfolding.

Certainty is easy.

Curiosity is where transformation begins.

Remember, the path to extraordinary is walked with a thousand small steps, you’re doing great!

Small Steps, Giant Leaps is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Barry Marshall-Graham smiling

Barry Marshall-Graham

Executive coach and leadership advisor

IF THIS RESONATED

Get the Difficult Conversations Guide

A practical resource for leaders who want to say the thing that needs saying, without burning bridges or avoiding the moment.

More writing

Keep reading

13 March 2026

The Weight of Unshared Doubt

Why senior leadership feels lonelier as you rise, and why confidence is often just unshared doubt.

The Weight of Unshared Doubt thumbnail

9 March 2026

Why Your Best Advice is the Problem

Why the rush to fix others is actually a specific insecurity, and how to stop.

Why Your Best Advice is the Problem thumbnail

6 March 2026

The Weight in Your Voice

Your words carry more weight than you realise. Calm authority is often a matter of pace, tone, and the courage to name what matters.

The Weight in Your Voice thumbnail

2 March 2026

The Quiet Drift You Inherit

Inherited teams rarely collapse in a moment. They drift. Resetting standards isn't about being harsh, it's about clarity, dignity, and trust.

The Quiet Drift You Inherit thumbnail

27 February 2026

When Everyone Owns It

Shared ownership sounds healthy, but when everyone owns a decision, nobody owns the decision. Clarity needs a single accountable owner.

When Everyone Owns It thumbnail

23 February 2026

The Private Ledger of Leadership

Senior leaders carry a private ledger of risks, promises, and people. Naming that inner load isn't weakness, it's how you lead without breaking.

The Private Ledger of Leadership thumbnail

20 February 2026

The Avoided Conversation Is a Decision

The conversation you're avoiding isn't neutral. It's a decision to let the current pattern continue, and that decision shapes the culture.

The Avoided Conversation Is a Decision thumbnail

16 February 2026

Calm Authority in Tense Rooms

Authority isn't volume or force. It's the ability to hold a tense room steady, name what matters, and set a clear boundary without heat.

Calm Authority in Tense Rooms thumbnail

13 February 2026

The First Small Tolerance

Standards rarely collapse in a moment. They slip through the first small tolerance you let pass, then the next one feels easier.

The First Small Tolerance thumbnail

9 February 2026

The Decision Vacuum

When decision rights are unclear, every meeting becomes a referendum. Clarity is less about answers and more about who owns the call.

The Decision Vacuum thumbnail