There is one phrase for entrepreneurs that will elevate your leadership. Three simple words that are often impossible for entrepreneurs to utter.

For hard charging, go-gettin', firebreathing future unicorns, it's the hardest thing to say. We flat out deny it's true! We imagine it's a fate worse than death, we feel it in our bones that saying three words will undermine our leadership, our company, our lives.

That phrase?

"I don't know."

Our ego resists it. After all, How can we lead if we don't know what we're doing. Saying "I don't know" means we've failed, right?

Wrong.

There are four reasons to say "I don't know" aloud and to ourselves on a regular basis.

It frees us from defending

Making a statement often means we feel we should defend it, regardless of how important it is. Are ducks better than geese? Once you've answered that, you then feel compelled to defend Team Geese from the onslaught of Duck Lovers. Is that how you want to spend your time? Maybe you could be working on your business instead?

It invites us to learn

Take a question like, "What's the best autumn marketing strategy for the Team Geese campaign?" You probably have an opinion. But there's a universe of information out there and that world is in flux. Maybe the Swan strategy you ran last year won't work today for Geese. Saying "I don't know" means can now look at the available evidence and see if there are better options.

It encourages initiative in others

Good leaders encourage others to do their best work. Maybe you do have an opinion about that fall fowl campaign. But in the staff meeting, saying "I don't know" and giving control to someone on the team let's them take the initiative and come up with a plan. Maybe even a plan that's better than yours! And if it's worse, you have an opportunity to work with them to improve it.

It's true

Sometimes, lots of times, we do not know. And we should say that simply because it's honest. The most important quality in a leader isn't knowledge, it's integrity. Demonstrate your integrity by declaring your ignorance. You and everyone else around you will value you for it.

Anytime anyone asks you a question, answer in your head "I don't know". You may be surprised it's the right answer for the situation and your leadership will be all the better for it.