Admitting to Being a Beginner

by Kori Rodley Irons | More from this Blogger

21 Feb 2007 12:07 PM

I've heard mixed opinions about whether a person should admit to being a novice or not. Some individuals fear that others will think they are less competent or capable-especially in business matters-if they admit to being a beginner. While this may be a valid opinion, I also think there can be advantages to admitting when you are new or just starting out...

I tend to go for the honest approach regardless and am not someone who hesitates to say if I don't know something. It can be tricky when a person is running her own business, however. As we're struggling to network and nurture prospects, we may also be struggling just to figure out exactly what we're doing! Not always the best way to instill confidence in potential customers and clients.

On the other side of the coin, though, admitting to our faults and our "newness" can provide an opportunity for a genuine connection and a very human moment with other people. After all, if we admit to being a novice, they are less likely to expect us to behave as though we've been doing this for years. One of my favorite things to say when I'm admitting to being new at something is to say that we'll be "learning together." This gives the other person (whether it's a customer/client or someone else) the feeling that we are on the same side, working toward a shared goal, as opposed to two people on opposite sides of things.

I think that it is better to admit to one's novice status at the onset, however, instead of using it as an excuse after something has gone awry. Excuses seldom come off well and even if a person appears understanding, there is always the chance that he or she will not be too keen on the excuse. By being upfront about our beginner's situation and letting people know we're working on it getting ourselves up to speed, they may feel like they have a necessary role in our progression!

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