andres

To approach conversations from a position of not-knowing, setting aside expertise to remain receptive to new perspectives.

Once a day, when you are tempted to share your expertise on a topic, respond instead with "I don't know, could you tell me more about that?" Listen with full attention to what the other person shares. Afterward, write down one thing you learned that you would have missed had you led with your own knowledge.

José Andrés built a career as one of the most celebrated chefs in America, then walked into disaster zones with World Central Kitchen and discovered how little his expertise prepared him. In Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, he found that local cooks already knew how to feed their communities under pressure. Instead of directing, he asked questions. He later described his default stance in conversations: "I don't know, tell me." Even on subjects where he had deep knowledge, he practiced leading with curiosity rather than authority. This posture can surface knowledge that otherwise could not be reached.

Though she'd studied the topic for years, she chose to andres during the meeting with local farmers, discovering traditional techniques she'd never found in any research paper.