I know nothing :)
I do a lot of work on radio, generally answering pet behaviour questions from the listeners. I also present at lots of pet events, taking questions from the public. Typically the same questions are asked, with a different breed, situation or severity- toileting issues, noise and aggression feature heavily for both cats and dogs.
Occasionally there is a question that stumps me.
Friends and colleagues always ask about the curly questions, the ones I can’t answer. How do I cope? Do I feel embarrassed? Does it make me feel like I know nothing? (As an aside, I believe the “imposter” feeling is common in professionals, people who have qualifications and experience but still feel like they are about to be found out knowing absolutely nothing!)
I genuinely don’t mind not knowing the answer to a question. Of course I would hate this to happen with every question that was asked of me in a Q&A session (then I really would feel like an imposter). The occasional question and its unknown response, however, doesn’t make me flinch. Nobody can know everything.
I use this experience as a learning curve. I go away, do my research and answer them later or I empower the questioner to do the same by referring them on to a different expert or source of information. Instead of being the imposter, I am the continual learner.
So go on… ask me anything!
