How to Answer When You Don't Know How to Answer

Teams engaged in knowledge work do something over and over again, week after week, day after day: they create new knowledge. Another way to say this is that they ask questions they had not previously asked, and then they find answers to those questions. Briefly, knowledge workers generate business value by forming those questions and then answering them.

For example, the person who contributes to developing a plan for bringing a new product to market is a knowledge worker. So is the person who contributes to the design of that new product.

The knowledge generated by knowledge workers need not be new to humanity, or revolutionary in any sense. But it is new to the people who generate it, or to their organization. Knowledge workers form and answer questions such as:

• "What alloys should we use in the exterior cabinet?"
• "What color of LED should we use for the non-fatal fault indicator?"
• "Are we permitted to ask him if he has been vaccinated for Covid-19?"
• "What version of the C compiler do we need for the on-board software?"
• "How many people will we be laying off at Springfield in Q3?"

Knowledge workers exchange questions and answers in a variety of venues: email, MS Teams, videoconferences, and even face-to-face meetings. One common exchange is in the form of what we often call "Q&A" or "discussion" in meetings. It begins when someone asks a question of someone else. It's a question that has never been asked before in this group, or if it has been asked, the answer needs refreshing. The questioner (Quentin for Questioner) isn't necessarily intending to trap anyone; the question might be novel, but it's legitimate. And, like everyone else in the meeting, the person Quentin targeted (Tracy for Target) doesn't actually know the answer to the question with certainty.

When something When composing a response to a question,
uncertainty can be troublesome if you're
someone who regards as a sign of weakness
anything less than a definitive responselike this happens, "Tracy" (the Target) is on the spot. She knows something about the answer, but not enough, and not with enough certainty. The general principle for finding responses beyond "I don't know" is this: find something useful to say. Here are six guidelines for finding something useful to say when someone asks you a question that you can't respond to definitively.

Recognize questions that will have answers in the near future

The source of Tracy's uncertainty can sometimes be an item with a short lifetime. That is, work underway or planned for the near future might be incomplete right now, but it might resolve some unknowns that would enable Tracy to give a definitive response to the question.

If Tracy recognizes that the question will have an answer in the immediate future, she can respond with something along the lines of, "We can't yet answer that, but Rachel and her team are running simulations that will give us some high quality estimates by early next week." Reporting that work is underway to produce an answer in the near future is a much more useful response than reporting that we don't know right now. It might enable people to make plans.

Employ for-now responses when possible

Sometimes you don't have an answer to the question as it was asked, because it pertains to a specific situation not covered by the knowledge you have. In some such cases, responding with an answer for the situations you can address might be helpful.

For example, consider responding to the question, "Is the catch basin capacity adequate?" A for-now response might be, "The catch basin we have in place does meet current needs, but models indicate that its capacity could be questionable if the development for University Square includes the proposed number of town homes. The amount required depends on the number and style of the homes."

Recognize unanswerable questions

Some questioners are unaware that what they're asking is beyond the ability of anyone to answer. In formulating a response, the temptation is to explain that the question is unanswerable. For example, Quentin might be asking about Person X's intentions. Or he might be asking what Person X knew and when Person X knew it. Such questions might have answers, but obtaining the answers might be so extraordinarily difficult that the question is actually unanswerable.

Explaining to Quentin that the question is unanswerable entails a risk of offending him by seeming to be condescending. A safer approach involves demonstrating that the question can't be answered: "I wouldn't know how to go about getting that information using any methods we have available. Maybe someone else does? Can someone point me in the right direction?" Such requests risk little if the question truly is unanswerable.

Seek consent to reframe the question to one you can answer

Even though you might not be able to answer the question as posed, you might be able to answer a related, but different, question. And your response to that related question might be of some value to Quentin. But reframing question Q to question Q' and then answering Q' can risk seeming to be evasive.

To mitigate that risk, explain that you can't answer question Q as posed, but you do have some related information that might be useful. Then ask for permission to answer the related question: "With your permission, let me offer a response to a related question." Then proceed to form Q', and give your response. Another equivalent form is, "If I may, let me respond to a related question." Mix up a variety of forms to avoid repetitiousness.

Seek information to reduce your uncertainty

Although you might be unable to respond to the question as posed, you might be able to comment definitively about related special cases. Consider what variables you would like to remove or restrict, or consider what related situations you might be able to address.

Preface your remarks with an admission that you can't address directly the question as posed. Then ask permission to comment on related situations, saying "Perhaps those comments would be helpful." Always ask permission, to avoid seeming to be evasive.

Ask whether sources of uncertainty would be useful

Tracy might not know the answer to Quentin's question, but she might know what the missing pieces of the answer are. In response to the question, she can say something like, "We don't yet have an answer to that, but I can tell you what the missing elements are." Then without waiting for permission from Quentin, she can list some of the unknowns.

Often, only questioners who are experts in the subject matter will be familiar with the unknowns related to any open questions. A recital of the most important unknowns can sometimes stimulate fruitful discussion.

Last words

When composing a response to a question, uncertainty can be troublesome. Trouble comes if you're someone who regards as a sign of weakness anything less than a confident, definitive response. This is the dynamic that leads many to preface responses with "I think that…" or "I believe that…". A more direct response might begin with "I can't provide a definitive statement on that. But I do know that the current consensus is…" or words to that effect.

If the current state of knowledge about the subject supports beliefs or opinions, but doesn't support a direct, definitive statement, then provide a direct, definitive statement about the current state of knowledge about the subject.  Top    Next Issue

Do you spend your days scurrying from meeting to meeting? Do you ever wonder if all these meetings are really necessary? (They aren't) Or whether there isn't some better way to get this work done? (There is) Read 101 Tips for Effective Meetings to learn how to make meetings much more productive and less stressful — and a lot more rare. Order Now!

Your comments are welcome

About Point Lookout

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful, and that you'll consider recommending it to a friend.

This article in its entirety was written by a human being. No machine intelligence was involved in any way.

Point Lookout is a free weekly email newsletter. Browse the archive of past issues. Subscribe for free.

Support Point Lookout by joining the Friends of Point Lookout, as an individual or as an organization.

Do you face a complex interpersonal situation? Send it in, anonymously if you like, and I'll give you my two cents.

Related articles

More articles on Effective Communication at Work:

Beyond WIIFM

Probably the most widely used tactic of persuasion, "What's In It For Me," or WIIFM, can be toxic to an organization. There's a much healthier approach that provides a competitive advantage to organizations that use it.

Dealing with Condescension

Condescending remarks hurt. When we feel that pain, we often feel the urge to retaliate, even when retaliation might not be appropriate. Our responses are more effective when we understand where condescending remarks come from.

Virtual Meetings: Dealing with Inattention

There is much we can do to reduce the incidence of inattention in virtual meetings. Cooperation is required.

Columbo Tactics: II

This is Part II of a series showing how the less powerful can adapt the tactics of TV detective Lt. Columbo when they're interacting with the more powerful.

The Major Annoyance of Mini-Digressions

Digressions are expensive. They limit progress in meetings. They're most noticeable when they deflect the entire meeting from its stated purpose. There is another kind of digression that's less noticeable, more common, and just as costly.

See also Effective Communication at Work and Effective Communication at Work for more related articles.

Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout

Coming September 4: Beating the Layoffs: I

If you work in an organization likely to conduct layoffs soon, keep in mind that exiting voluntarily before the layoffs can carry significant advantages. Here are some that relate to self-esteem, financial anxiety, and future employment. Available here and by RSS on September 4.

And on September 11: Beating the Layoffs: II

If you work in an organization likely to conduct layoffs soon, keep in mind that exiting voluntarily can carry advantages. Here are some advantages that relate to collegial relationships, future interviews, health, and severance packages. Available here and by RSS on September 11.

Coaching services

I offer email and telephone coaching at both corporate and individual rates. Contact Rick for details at rbrenyrWpTxHuyCrjZbUpner@ChacnoFNuSyWlVzCaGfooCanyon.com or (650) 787-6475, or toll-free in the continental US at (866) 378-5470.

Get the ebook!

Past issues of Point Lookout are available in six ebooks:

• Get 2001-2 in Geese Don't Land on Twigs (PDF, )
• Get 2003-4 in Why Dogs Wag (PDF, )
• Get 2005-6 in Loopy Things We Do (PDF, )
• Get 2007-8 in Things We Believe That Maybe Aren't So True (PDF, )
• Get 2009-10 in The Questions Not Asked (PDF, )
• Get all of the first twelve years (2001-2012) in The Collected Issues of Point Lookout (PDF, )

Are you a writer, editor or publisher on deadline? Are you looking for an article that will get people talking and get compliments flying your way? You can have 500-1000 words in your inbox in one hour. License any article from this Web site. More info