MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Stop Rushing In With Advice

Why your words of wisdom probably aren’t worth very much.

There’s a time and place for advice. But when giving it is your default response to colleagues and friends who face difficult situations (and for most of us, that’s the case), it becomes a problem.

It’s an insidious habit — one you’ve been encouraged to adopt all your life. From your early days in school, through exams in college, and into your career, it’s always been about having the answer. And biology is colluding with societal influence. When you give advice, your brain gets a dose of feel-good chemicals. You feel smart and accomplished, poised and helpful. The buzz is intoxicating. No wonder you’re giving advice all the time. But most of it is not useful or effective.

About the Author

Michael Bungay Stanier (@boxofcrayons) is the author of The Coaching Habit and The Advice Trap, from which this article is adapted.

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