Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

“As we think and talk, we often slip into the mindsets of three different professions: preachers, prosecutors, and politicians. In each of these modes, we take on a particular identity and use a distinct set of tools. We go into preacher mode when our sacred beliefs are in jeopardy: we deliver sermons to protect and promote our ideals. We enter prosecutor mode when we recognize flaws in other people’s reasoning: we marshal arguments to prove them wrong and win our case. We shift into politician mode when we’re seeking to win over an audience: we campaign and lobby for the approval of our constituents. Instead, if you’re a scientist, rethinking is fundamental to your profession. You’re expected to doubt what you know, be curious about what you don’t know, and update your views based on new data. We move into scientist mode when we’re searching for the truth.”

“Listening well is more than a matter of talking less. The power of listening doesn’t lie just in giving people the space to reflect on their views. It’s a display of respect and an expression of care. Listening is a way of offering others our scarcest, most precious gift: our attention.”