We do not know everything.  Is it a failure to not know?  Absolutely not.  Acting without knowing everything is normal.  Allowing the fear of the unknown to limit your actions reduces your capabilities.

Acting in your best interests is a balance between what you know and the risks associated with the things you are not aware of or misunderstood.

Balanced Behaviour

Most importantly, to be effective we must overcome our fear of failure but not at the expense of proceeding without full confidence.

Blasting ahead like a bull is probably not the most effective approach but neither will hiding your head in the sand like an ostrich.

Outside Influences

Everyone serves somebody (Bob Dylan song title) even it is only none but God.   Our leaders can play a significant role in how we behave.

Micro-managing others often reinforce their natural inclination to caution.  That is taking a chance and trying something where you might fail is unlikely.

If your boss, leader, colleague, etc is unsupportive and likely to be derisive if you make a mistake or do something incorrectly possibly because you just didn’t know, it’s most probable you won’t try.

Effective leaders need to encourage us to be empowered and take action.

Taking a Chance

Making an attempt at anything, taking the initiative and giving it a try is a positive behavior as long is it is tempered with logic and reason.

I advocate taking chances but not high-risk ones.  In leadership situations, the best results arise when your followers understand the fact that you support them and won’t fault them (within reasonable limits.).