In this episode of Root Issue Radio, Jill Young and Sue Hawkes unpack the powerful question: what are you pretending not to know? They explore why this question gets to the root of what’s really happening in teams, how ego and habit can keep people from naming the truth, and why safety matters when hard things need to be said.

Jill and Sue discuss how unspoken cues, silence, and “the meeting after the meeting” often reveal more than what is said out loud. They explain how leaders can create space for honest conversation, move issues into the open, and help teams build the trust needed for stronger results.

The conversation also covers the difference between withholding and protecting, why confidentiality has to go both ways, and how permission-based coaching can help people speak into what they already know. Jill and Sue close by noting that not every issue is friction; some are hunches, ideas, and opportunities that deserve a place on the issues list too.

Listener Takeaway:

Sometimes the thing blocking progress is not what’s being said, but what everyone is pretending not to know. Notice the unspoken, get curious about the root issue, and create enough safety for honest conversation to happen.

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