November 4, 2025 - The Smartest Fear in the Office

The Smartest Fear in the Office
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Your Weekly "Segment of One"

Hi Friend


Welcome to your weekly dose of personal and career fuel!







Let's talk about one of the most common, yet unspoken, fears in the professional world. It's that moment in a meeting when a complex strategy or a new piece of jargon is mentioned, everyone else nods along, and you realize... you have no idea what they're talking about.


The fear of looking uninformed keeps you silent. This week, we're going to face it head-on.


Let's get started.


This week's action:


In one meeting where you feel even slightly confused or out of the loop, your action is to be the one who bravely asks the "dumb question." Your goal is to choose clarity over the fear of looking uninformed.

Why this matters:






The smartest person in the room is often the one brave enough to sacrifice their ego for the sake of clarity. When you ask the "dumb question," you're not just helping yourself; you're likely helping the 50% of the room who are just as confused but too afraid to admit it. You instantly prevent future problems born from misalignment and demonstrate that you value understanding over appearances. True confidence isn't about having all the answers; it's about not being afraid to ask the questions that lead to them.


Your "Dumb Question" Script Starters:The key is to frame your question collaboratively and without apology.

  • To Clarify an Acronym: "Sorry to interrupt, just to make sure we're all aligned, can we quickly define what [the acronym] means in the context of this project?"


  • To Unpack Jargon: "That's a great point. When you say we need to 'synergize our verticals,' what would that look like in practice for our team?"


  • To Check an Assumption: "Just so I'm tracking, what's our shared understanding of the primary goal for this initiative? Is it X or is it Y?"

Like what you’ve read?






If the thought of being the person to raise their hand in that moment makes your stomach drop, you're not alone. That hesitation is exactly what we work on in coaching—building the confidence to lead through clarity. When you're ready to explore that, let's connect:

Do you know your Professional Superpower?

Ever wonder what your unique professional gifts are? We all have natural talents that make us shine, but sometimes they're so innate, we don't even recognize them as "superpowers." Take this quick quiz to discover what makes you professionally powerful and how you can leverage it for greater career satisfaction and success!

Want more actionable tips?

Explore all previous editions in the "Segment of One" Archive

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October 28, 2025 - I made a mistake.