Most times, people’s confidence in their ability will lead them to take actions that could improve their lifestyle or mar how they live.
While it is okay for them to toot their own horn, sometimes out of ignorance, it is equally essential to let them know of the inherent risk/reward their action may cause.
That is why today’s article will give out the 20 best responses to the “I’m always correct” statement and why these responses fit the circumstances discussed.
How to Respond to “I’m Always Right”
Below are the 20 best responses to I’m Always Right, with a detailed explanation following right after; they include:
- A little suggestion will not hurt.
- Nobody has a monopoly on knowledge.
- Try to listen to others.
- How about we do it this way?
- It’s not bad being wrong.
- What’s the way out?
- Be open-minded.
- Your attitude is putting.
- No one is disputing that.
- Your answer is Archaic.
- Accept your faults.
- It will affect your social life.
- What is suitable for you may not be for others.
- Understanding matters
- Apologies cost nothing.
- Yet you keep doing things wrong.
- Get off your high horse.
- How did you do it?
- You can disagree to agree.
- All the time.
A little suggestion will not hurt
If you know a superior, friend, or acquaintance having the habit of always stating their opinion to be the only valid one, the reply a little suggestion will not hurt is just the right one to use.
As a response, the answer makes the individual feel guilty and realizes that all suggestion shouldn’t come from them alone, and when they give room for others’ opinion, more could be done than want only their voice to be heard.
Nobody has a monopoly on knowledge
Like the response above, replying in this context serves as a chastisement and lets the individual know that they can’t know everything.
These people tend to claim to know everything subtly by contributing to every conversation, exhibiting an exquisite persona and I know it all characteristics.
If this description fits the person you have a conversation with, it is best to bring to their notice that nobody is a monopoly of knowledge.
Try to listen to others
It isn’t charming when you have barely finished your statement, and someone jumps to the conclusion of what you are about to say.
The worse part is they claim that they know everything you are about to say. When this happens, here’s what you should do:
You could call off their bluff immediately on the spot so they realize that they need to try to listen as others raise their point without interruption, or you could opt for the second option.
The second option should be used if this person has a higher place or is older than you, and for respect’s sake, should you take this step, you stomach the interruption and wait for a better time when they are calm to discuss their activities and why they should listen to the opinion of others.
How about we do it this way?
Your suggestion to do it in a different way than the way the individual who claims to know everything may come off as an insult to their personality; here is how to go about it.
Start with friendly banter and praise of their prowess before presenting your suggestion. When done right, this response will have them yielding and eventually have them doing what you wanted them to do.
It’s not bad being wrong
Often, being wrong to some people is seen as a weakness, and hence many hide it instead of embracing their weakness and seeing the good part of it.
When we admit to our weaknesses, it makes us realize that no one is perfect and gives us the will to strive for mastery.
However, if you know someone who constantly lives in denial of their weakness and goes on to state that they know everything, then this response should be the silence they need.
What’s the way out?
The response “What’s the way out” is a perfect way to sideline a braggart, who, of truth knows the way out or the solution to a complex question but must blow their horn before helping out in the situation.
The answer does not feed their beginning fact; it does the exact opposite of using the content rather than crediting the container.
When used effectively, the culprit is ego-struck, yet is in no position to refute offering an answer since they are happy to give it earlier.
Be open-minded
An answer best used by those who feel that their answer is resolute and undisputable is the reply: be open-minded.
This response is given when a milestone achievement is imminent, and due to the individual’s previous belief and experience, they choose to insist on their own will and claim to know it all.
It will take a clever approach to persuade this kind of person as they will, no matter what, want to stick to their heels.
Presenting the benefit they stand to gain if they at least are open-minded could be a great start to shifting their opinion.
Your attitude is putting.
A show-off’s worst nightmare is the answer your attitude puts whenever they claim to know it. However, it takes one with the gut to put in place the individual’s character.
No one is disputing that
Nerds and those who are intelligent but without a commiserate good character should always be hit with the response. No, no one is disputing that whenever they start to brag about knowing it all.
Quite all right, arere they smart, but when the constant effort to make others know how intelligent they keep showing up, someone has to do the dirty job of putting them in their place.
Interestingly this answer hits home immediately in their head, and they realize how irritating talking too much about their brilliance makes people feel.
This answer can be accompanied by dissociation (when no one wants to talk to them) if the real impact is to be felt.
Your answer is Archaic
Perhaps in the past, the solution an individual offers has always proven to be timely.
Unfortunately, when new ways of approaching the same problem arise, this person thrashes this idea and insists on being right in their analysis, it is important for someone to stand in to call to question their answer.
The above scenario is usually the case for some superiors, colleagues, and one in a leadership position; they find it hard to embrace new ideas until they are challenged.
When challenging them, care should be taken not to disrespect their past contribution and how it has helped in shaping the company’s growth while at the same time giving them reasons why their suggestion at this time isn’t feasible.
Accept your fault
The hardest thing for some people is to own up to their mistakes, and if challenged, they will prefer to maintain their position of knowing everything. The best answer is to call to accept their fault.
Depending on their social status, this answer goes two ways. If this individual is a commoner, a minor, or even one who is unnecessarily adamant, stringent measures should be added to the reply whenever they state how they know everything.
On the flip side, if such a person is a respected figure, a more persuasive approach to have them admit to owning up to their flaws should be employed.
It will affect your social life
The reply “it will affect your social life” in response to an “I know everything” is both advice and strong criticism of the action of the person referred.
You can use this reply if this person is close to you either as a dear friend or a family member, especially if you’ve observed that they barely make friends, you could chip in this reply to salvage the predicament they’ve found themselves in.
What is suitable for you may not be right for another
Putting into perspective the opinion of others when it comes to being right or wrong is a social skill only a few have, hence the reason you have many claiming to know it all over another person’s point of view. What, then, should you do?
The statement “I know everything” can be upsetting if the person claiming to know all speak from their own experience without factoring in the experience of others.
As a middleman, you have to let them know that experience differs.
It could be an argument on the right way to make a delicacy, do a separate laundry, or even have a particular thing standing in to let this individual know that there is no right or wrong way to do a task that different will save the day.
Understanding matters
If you are a counselor and your clients lay a complaint about how particular individuals seem to be unappreciative of their effort even when it is glaring that they know everything about their job, then giving the response above will help mend the relationship.
Agreeing with their statement while letting them know that sometimes those individuals only want to have them do better and not nag about being trailed will make them rethink and probably go out to amend their actions.
This reply isn’t only for counselors alone; anyone being listened to for advice could take practical steps to effect this answer; all it takes is to tell them that understanding matters.
Apologies cost nothing
Give the reply, “apologies cost nothing” to those who think their action is morally justifiable and does not deserve questioning, making them rethink.
First, it draws to their attention that nobody supports their misdemeanor, and it also shows that they are too proud. When used right, they will come around to acknowledge their fault.
Yet you keep doing the worse.
Used the response, yet you keep doing the worse to an I know everything statement when the party has tested your patience to the limit.
Probably they have been failing at a particular task and not wanting to take any corrections, by letting them know that their stubbornness isn’t doing them any good makes it easy for you to find a reason to back out when necessary.
For instance, you keep supporting this individual with financings to Kickstart a business project they’re into, yet they keep failing even after giving them helpful suggestions. If they continue being right when you try correcting them, you keep doing the worst works fine as you stop helping.
Get off your high horse
Mend a proud person with this answer and watch them change for good.
I know everything from a proud person can be disgusting, and even when you try to correct them, they see you as an intruder; you need to drop the bombshell by telling them to get off high horse-horse.
Whether they will heed this answer or not rest in their discretion, the good thing is you have placed in their heart the need for them to stop sounding the way they sound whenever they are around you.
How did you do it?
For the benefit of knowledge, especially if you don’t have the wisdom they possess, a little patience with their proud attitude can go a long way to give you the information you need.
Here, you are not trying to criticize them for our drawing them into having to tell you all they know about a specific concept, and it’s up to you to condone their showoff or dump them after the knowledge is acquired.
You can agree to disagree
Let’s say this set of people has no idea that it is possible to have a divergent view on a matter yet reach a meeting point; it is your duty to school them in this.
You notice that every time teenagers have a conversation with their peers, they seem to push their own opinion down the throat of others without considering what they have to say, step into that conversation, and correct their mistakes.
Even adults aren’t left without this problem. However, the approach should be met differently; you could schedule a meeting for the one who keeps doing so, correcting them on the need to accept the view of others without making a fuss.
All the time
Last but not least is the reply all the time; this response comes up as banter to one who seems always claims to know everything.
Here you give them a false sense of pride while you both keep the peace, tooting their horns as they pride themselves as all-knowing.
However, it is advisable to use this reply if the scenario does not harm another.
Now we’ve come to the end of our article on the 20 best responses to give to I’m always right; suffice me to state that this response isn’t the only one off the hook regarding the statement above. Instead, they fit in for the bulk of the scenario where it is made.
From the mischievous response of all the time to the piercing reply of Get off your high horse, responding to one who keeps thinking they are always correct hasn’t been so easy.