Old school growers often expect the consultant to know everything. Every crop, every problem, every symptom, every solution. Preferably on the spot, preferably without hesitation, preferably without checking notes, data, or reality.

And many consultants happily play along.

They answer everything. Even when they are not fully sure. Sometimes not even close. Because admitting doubt feels risky. Because saying “I don’t know” sounds like weakness. Because the myth of the all knowing consultant is still alive and well.

Here is the uncomfortable truth. Knowing everything is not the job. Being honest is.

It also happens to me, sometimes I am wrong. What works perfectly in one part of the world may be the wrong decision in another country, another climate, another farm. Context matters more than confidence, and agriculture is not a copy paste business.

There is nothing professional about guessing with confidence. There is nothing reassuring about fast answers that are wrong. And there is nothing wrong with saying “I don’t know”, as long as the problem does not stay unresolved.

My answer is usually simple.

“I don’t know, but I know exactly who does.”

That sentence matters. It shifts the focus from ego to solutions. From pretending to delivering. From being the hero to being useful.

We can try to look like superheroes, even when we are not. Or we can be human. Clear. Transparent. Professionals who know a lot, accept when they are wrong, and keep learning every season.

Real confidence is not having all the answers.

Real confidence is not being afraid of the questions.