Embracing Advice

In my previous post (Embracing Transition), I talk about a desire to focus on growth and more importantly, accelerating growth.

As a person who believes in being a catalyst for change, getting advice is one of the most important actions to take in times of transition. However, it is important to recognize that advice comes in many forms:

Gathering Basic Intel: When tackling a tough problem, early advice can often be gathering nuggets of experience from those that have seen that type of challenge first hand. This is usually the first type of advice that I seek to help paint a broader picture. I am looking for lessons learned and to see if there are other people I should be connecting with.

Validating Ideas: Once I begin to get my arms around a situation and form potential paths forward, the second set of advice I seek is often in the form of idea validation or gut checks. I am less focused on learning about the mechanics of a particular situation and more focused on how a specific mechanic may work. This also means my needs for advice are more specific to a skill set, an industry challenge, or the ins and outs of a specific path.

Getting Unstuck: A third kind of advice is helping to get unstuck. This is sometimes the hardest advice to ask for as I likely have found myself in a difficult situation. Not a tough problem per se, but difficulty in breaking through at a more fundamental level. In getting this kind of advice, it is important to be honest and acknowledge something is not going quite right. This is the most vulnerable advice to ask for and get, but often advice people love to give.

If you are person that is the midst of change, be thoughtful around the role of advice. Seek it early and often, while also being cognizant of the type of advice you are asking for.

For anyone reading this, would love to hear your thoughts on how to best characterize the different types of advice and what works best.

#strategy #advice #changemaker #consulting

Posted here on medium.com