Everyone is Winging It

Fake it 'til you make it.

It's all an illusion that everyone has it all under control.
Even the best of us cannot predict all that occurs or what others are going to say...often you have to respond to that.

That's why you see good politicians...when asked a question they don't want or aren't prepared for...
They pause...smile...say, "That's a great question...I'm glad you ask that...and..." then they quickly redirect that topic.
Or they figure out how to answer without really answering.

Everyone has been put in a situation where they have to make a judgment call where they don't know what's right.
or where they ask, "oh shit, what do I do now??"
Even the ones arrogant enough to think they're in control...sooner or later will be stumped.

It's one of the reasons, why people wear ties...as if you think better with a piece of cloth around your neck.
But it's because you're given more credibility with it...so that gives you leverage...and time to think...or at least posture.

And certainly, we all compare.
Otherwise, why would even the best of us...care about name brands?? They're not all good...or at least always good. You pay more.
Dress...cars...physique...homes...watches...

Your people of authority...if they're smart, speak with a tone of authority...even if they aren't in control or aren't sure.
Why? Because people respond to it...whether right or wrong.

Hell...many people even make others submit...because they are self-conscious of their own perceived inadequacies.

The key is to give some confidence...even if you're unsure...because others are relying on you to accomplish and succeed.
If you don't give that...then they'll go somewhere else. They want assurances.
So you need to at least project it...until you can figure it out...or get the answer elsewhere. (which is not cheating BTW, RL is not school)

It's not that you don't know...because you don't know until you "know". You're not psychic. (they don't pay you enough for that...)
But that you are able to develop a solution and get results.

Look at it this way...there are strengths and weaknesses from "winging it". Why?
Because often those who always have a full plan, go in with presumptions...a template that fits everything.
Well...that may work for the easy stuff.
But on the hard stuff...it often creates a mess.
A square peg being shoved into a round hole.

Real Life is situational.
You got to be able to "wing it".
Otherwise, you won't survive...or at least climb to the next level.

Frankly, sometimes you just have to say, "Fuck it."

 

"Imposter syndrome" is a well-known and very common issue for folks in my industry. We spend our days working with complex systems, where no matter how much you know there's always plenty that you don't. It's very easy to start to feel like you don't know anything, especially when you walk into a new role. When I started in this business I constantly felt like I didn't belong or wasn't qualified to do my job. Eventually I realized that my options came down to figuring out how to deal with those feelings or quit.

I've learned through experience that I work best when I give myself room to improvise. When I discovered that I can't eliminate uncertainty in life I decided that the best option was to embrace it. I generally like to give myself goals and deadlines, and figure out the details as I go along. I don't expend a lot of energy trying to project some kind of calm demeanour (another one of my operating principles: be honest about what you don't know) but I'm sure to those around me it looks that way. As long as I'm honest about where I am and where I'm going, I don't feel any stress about whether I'm qualified or where I stand compared to those around me. I got to where I am on my merits, I've never misrepresented what I do, as far as I'm concerned that's enough.

I've spent a very long time cultivating a mindset that allows me to work with the variables I can control and let go of stress over the ones I can't. I think that's really the best anyone can do.

 

It is so true. I need to keep this in MIND as I apply for positions.

 

I wing it sometimes. Usually, though, I do at least some homework. This is because I have a lot of anxiety if I don't. I'm a big scripter; I will stay up late running through all the possibilities, eventualities, and probable outcomes. It's just something my brain does. I try to short-circuit that by planning appropriately. However, there are some things in life that can't be planned for.

Teaching is a great teacher in this respect, especially substitute teaching. Usually, I have 25-30 teenage bodies in a classroom to manage. Inevitably, there will be something that will come up that I haven't considered--the DVD player won't work, or there aren't enough books, or someone is being a turd. Worse yet, the lesson falls flat (seriously--teaching, to me, is like being a stand-up comedian; I am working that room, trying to make some kind of connection). In those situations, I am forced to be flexible and wing it. My generally positive outlook on life really helps here. My mantra for my teaching is this: "We do the best we can with what we have." It applies across myriad situations: the day-to-day in the classroom, the substitute situation where I have no idea how to teach calculus, or the unruly student who has something going on that is out of their control (it's always important to remember that students are doing the best they can with what they have developmentally).

What annoys me is when others don't trust that I've done my homework, or that I know what I know, so I can wing it. Shit, I have more college education than 88% of people in this country. I'd like to believe that that base of knowledge and experience lets me wing it better than most people.

 

Another difficulty is EXPECTATIONS. (and perspective)

Many people and powers want answers...black & white.
They want plans...they want dates...they want minutes...they want it ALL. (they want it NOW)
And if you don't...then you're just not doing it right...or enough.

So you want to give them what they want...you're likely sincere in this.
It's just that you're not the Wiki of whatever you do. (you're not a machine or databank)
And even if you are the Subject Matter Expert (SME) ...it's still not enough.

So you end up having to develop a politician's ploy...of being able to answer...without answering.
Until you can get the answer.

You're forced to wing it...even if you DO know more than everyone else.
Even if you're DAMN good at your job.

The powers, clients, etc...all want their warm & fuzzies fulfilled...not to feel things are not being answered or addressed.
So you have to dance the dance...until you can give them the FULL thing.

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I just encounter this the other day..."they" gave us restrictions on what we can do..."give us the real solution...not work-arounds"
So we're doing what we can, with whatever resources and time we're given or have...along with all the other tasks we have...
Then someone from the outside, without being in sync with us, whips up a solution to a problem in 3 days...or our 10 weeks.
But theirs is a mask...a transformation...not the REAL correction. (and not legal either...as in bound by law)
However...then the "perception" is they can provide a solution in the fraction of the time.
All to the expectation that the whims of the powers or client have at that time.


Damn, the things you have to do to save face or keep your position/project/business.
Real life, real time.
Do YOU have an answer??
Sure, I wing it.
You're forced to.

Image what you have to do when you're President??
And you've got the media, opponents and 300+ millions people with life desires and biases to fulfill.
Now you're just experiencing a "mini" version of this.

What's the tap-dance you did today??

 

Hah! That was my shitty manager in a nutshell.