How ‘I Could be Wrong’ Gets a Bad Rap

I’ve noticed that a lot of the business articles and personal development sites are advocating for the direct approach. No prefaces — such as ‘just’, ‘maybe’, ‘I’m not sure, but..’. While there is an argument to be made regarding this advice and the persona you want to portray, I feel that ‘I could be wrong’ should be excluded from such company.

I want to highlight the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ in this article.

The Why’s:

1. It is a social lubricant.

• In a social situation, few people are interested in someone who talks over them. Nothing kills a conversation quicker than that person who comes across abrasive in a before you have even had your first cocktail. Abrasiveness creates the unintentional pariah that the deliverer rarely even notes is happening until they are hanging out by the shrimp dip alone.

2. It asserts strength by contributing an opinion while inviting the opportunity for debate or affirmation.

3. It implies a safe space to have open dialogue without having a threat to the individual making the statement.

4. It removes the statement from the speaker. ‘I could be wrong’, is the mia culpa for neutrality, especially on potentially contentious issues.