Do people ask you for advice?
What would you do if?
I have a question to ask if you were in this situation, what would you do?
When people are seeking your opinion on what you would do, do they want to know, or have they already made up their minds on what they would do and hope you are going to validate them?
The problem
- Individual asking for advice.
The solution
- When people ask for advice, it is a slippery slope. This is usually when I like to ask more questions than provide answers. Seeking to understand is the best approach always. Providing questions helps everyone with clarification and looking at situations from different lenses. Ask questions
- Talk and point out positives
- Please do not make it about you, but share stories when needed, so they feel comfortable and not alone.
- Offer support and help
- Discuss options
- You do not want to lead them to a solution when they have not provided you with all the details and thoughts. You may answer to leave their spouse, and they do not want to do this.
- Can you think of additional ideas?
Making difficult decisions is something leaders do daily. People are always watching, judging, deciding, and looking at how all of the actions are carried out. How you respond to every situation is a piece of evidence to gather on the reaction time, emotional response, and lack of response.
Have you ever told someone information you considered concerning and essential to discuss? I am sure we have all experienced when we needed to be heard and, most importantly, understood. You have built up the courage to have the discussion and then a nonresponse. What did you do? What would you do?
The problem
- Information you need to share and be understood by your boss, but you receive no response.
The solution
- Get straight to the point-Leaders do not have a lot of time so make it direct and to the point respectfully.
- Make sure it captures their attention.
- Record yourself in a presentation form with the information you need to present and send in an email
- Follow up with hand-delivering the printed slides.
- Schedule a lunch meeting.
- Ask the secretary to find a good time to get a meeting scheduled.
- Look at your timing. We don’t always know everything that is going on so it could be the wrong time.
- Can you think of any other ways?
I have asked for advice, provided guidance, pleaded with bosses to hear my voice and understand my message. Through all of these stages, I have learned a critical fact for everyone to take away to use as what I would do: Authenticity is the best way as you approach consistent with your core values and beliefs. Being the solution daily is founded on authentic core values.