Advice About Providing Advice


Simply put, don't do it unless somebody asks. Advice: Avoid providing unsolicited advice. I say so within this forum because you and many others have asked for advice by way of using this media. You are here of your own volition and therefore, you are very probably open to receiving advice because you have sought it out. The choice is yours. You can accept, deny, leave the website or learn an important life skill that will immediately calm most waters of upheaval in your life. Advice: Don't get caught in the advice-giving trap.

I learned about avoiding passing along unsolicited advice no matter how honourable your intentions might be, from a valuable work produced by author Nancy Wells in 2006. I have an original transcript that was mailed to me before her (now out-of-print) book was published. If you can find it on e-bay or Amazon I strongly recommend securing a copy for yourself.

About the idea of providing advice, Ms. Wells writes; ...don't assume the other person wants to hear what you have to say. People appreciate being asked if they want to hear your thoughts. It shows you are being respectful of their time and energy. Rather than offering unsolicited advice or ideas, ask; "Are you interested in hearing my thoughts around this?" 

You will receive a very simple 'yes' or 'no' and know exactly where you stand in the discussion. If they answer 'Yes', you know they have truly made a space within themselves to listen to what you have to say. If their answer is 'No', they are not ready on one or more levels to hear what you have to say. This scenario is an indicator that you have some spiritual work to do should you wish to enlighten or assist, or allow for a positive-charged, benevolent relationship. 

Can you imagine how productive your next family or management meeting would be if everyone in attendance adhered to this one simple premise? Instead of assuming that everyone wants to hear what you have to say, make room for your thoughts by asking whether or not people are open to receiving what you have to offer.

Advice is a valuable form of verbal or written communication. Just be sure your audience is open to receiving it. Just ask first. It will clear the way for more effective communication.
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