I Don’t Know

Say “I Don’t Know.” Then Say It Louder.

There’s a scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (yeah, we’re dating ourselves here) where Mr. Hand asks Spicoli a question, and Spicoli, without a shred of shame, just says: “I don’t know.” It’s iconic. And honestly, it’s a sales skill. Say “I don’t know” when you don’t know. That’s it. No spin. No guesswork. No posturing.

Sales doesn’t need more “think-believes”

You’ve probably heard it before: Manager: “Who else are they talking to besides us?” Rep: “Um… I think maybe no one else? I mean, not that I know of.” We call these think-believes. And they’re dangerous. They sound harmless. But they’re actually little landmines of false confidence. Guessing. Assuming. Hoping. And the kicker? Most sales leaders just nod along. They accept the BS. They don’t dig in. And it slowly erodes the team’s culture, turning your pipeline into a pile of fiction.

The better move: praise the real answer

If your rep says: “I don’t know who else they’re talking to.” That’s a win. Why? Because they told the truth. They didn’t fill space with fluff. And now? There’s a clear to-do in front of them. Go find out. This is what a real Sales Operating System helps you do: Create clarity. Encourage honesty. Build a repeatable rhythm of truth-telling and follow-through, not story-spinning.

Want a stronger sales culture? Reward vulnerability.

At Blind Zebra, we praise it. If a seller says, “I don’t know the answer to that,” we say: ✅ “Thanks for not knowing.” ✅ “Thanks for not pretending.” ✅ “Now we know what to go get.” This creates a totally different dynamic on your team. Instead of rewarding sales theater, you build a culture where reps can be real, get coached, and grow faster. Because they’re not spending all their energy faking it. And let’s be honest: when sales leaders don’t call this stuff out, it gets ugly fast. False data. Wasted deals. Broken trust. No thank you.

TL;DR: Be more like Spicoli

If you’re building a high-performing sales team, here’s your move:

• Make “I don’t know” an encouraged phrase.
• Call out “think-believes” when you hear them.
• Praise honesty over half-truths.
• Coach the gap. Don’t fill it with fluff.

And remember. A true Sales Operating System isn’t built on guesses. It’s built on truth, curiosity, and action. If you’re tired of buying “think-believes” around every deal, let’s talk. Book a Coin Toss Convo