You’ll rarely hear anyone in business say “We can’t do that because we don’t know how.”

You might hear someone say “We think you should do this proven thing again” or “We need an evolution, not a revolution”—anything to avoid coming clean about a lack of capabilities or capacity. Sure, it’s hard to recognize and admit to limitations (the Dunning-Kruger effect gets in the way), but the world would be a better, more cost-efficient and more innovative place if we were honest about the edges of our various boxes.

There’s nothing wrong with not knowing. And, rather than limit your creativity or customer experience to what’s already in your skill set, it’s a great opportunity to involve and learn from someone who does.

Unfortunately, in an age when the people who talk the most tend to be seen as leaders, professional humility and self-awareness tend to be in short supply.

In its early days, FATFREE filled the digital gaps for a lot of in-house and traditional agencies. After all, those companies weren’t expected to be up to speed on the online world. Often, we were asked to simply translate flat creative to the web. But because our team lived in the online space, we were able to bring the work to life in new, unexpected ways—resulting in breakthrough apps and from-scratch solutions for Quiznos, Olympus, Kahlúa, and others.

Today we find that, rather than limiting our creative product or a client’s online experience, not knowing something has led to great opportunities to learn or bring on new partners. Over the years, FATFREE has nurtured relationships and partnerships that extend like tentacles in every direction, across every time zone.

It definitely leads to greater client satisfaction, in addition to better end-user experiences. There are times (shocking to me, but true) when I’m not the perfect writer for a gig. Do the clients get me anyway? Nope. They get a writer whose voice and experience is a better match for the project. Same with research, video and complex coding projects—a right-partner-for-the-gig approach means we don’t try to push clients to accept what’s easiest for us. Two great outcomes—everyone on the team knows we don’t have to pretend we know when we don’t, and we all learn together.

Unfortunately, in an age when the people who talk the most tend to be seen as leaders, professional humility and self-awareness tend to be in short supply. Owning your limits, however, and seeking a partner who can complement your skills and deliver the right product—not just the easy one—is a much smarter, sustainable, client-pleasing strategy.

If you’re looking for a partner who can fill in where you may not have capabilities in-house, give us a ring. FATFREE is here to help you look good.