Friday, March 2, 2018 Too Dumb to Know It? Guide Magazine We’ve all known someone who thinks they know it all, but clearly they don’t. That’s why it’s a trope in comics and sitcoms—think of the pointy-haired boss in Dilbert, or Michael Scott, the manager on The Office. Social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger have studied how our self-perception stacks up with reality. They found that people who are “measurably poor at logical reasoning, grammar, financial knowledge, math, emotional intelligence, running medical lab tests, and chess all tend to rate their expertise almost as favorably as actual experts do.” In other words, the less we know, the less aware we are of our ignorance—and the more overconfident we are in our mediocre abilities. The overconfidence of the ignorant—known as the Dunning-Kruger effect—can have a range of consequences for individuals and those around them. Not only are these people annoying—after all, who likes a blowhard—but they can inflict serious damage on a business and even endanger lives. Take the example of a worker who gets promoted due to his or her confidence but doesn’t have the skills to properly perform the new job in management. This harms the whole team, makes the organization less effective, and in a safety-sensitive work environment can even endanger other workers. On the other hand, people who are highly skilled or knowledgeable in a certain field are likely to underrate their skills, meaning they may not get the promotions they deserve. 5 Ways to Ensure You Don't Become a Michael Scott 1. Listen to feedback from others. 2. Strive to learn more every day. 3. Be willing to be vulnerable. 4. Be humble. 5. Accept that you really don’t know it all. “We're not very good at knowing what we don't know.” —David Dunning “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.” —Confucius “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.” —Charles Darwin Sources: openculture.com, nypost.com You might be interested in Strathcona Mechanical Workers Approve New Agreement with Wage and Scheduling Improvements 3 Jun 2026 Ready To Deliver 3 Jun 2026 The Miracle of Many Hands 2 Jun 2026 Velocity Mechanical Workers Secure New Contract with Wage and Benefit Improvements 1 Jun 2026