In business, many leaders who ask for advice, want nothing more than affirmation for their current course of action. Is it any wonder why so many firms struggle to stay relevant?
When faced with a challenge, it’s easy to cling to the familiar, even when it’s not as effective as it once was. At some point, you may decide to investigate other strategies.
This is when you fall for the advice trap. Most people aren’t willing to seek out true expertise for advice. Instead they do the equivalent of turning to the person seated next to them and ask if they see the same things that you can.
Too often, when the other person says, “Yes,” you stop your search for advice, confident in your current direction. You likely move one step closer toward failure. The same perspective rarely produces a different view.
If you’re serious about getting game changing advice, then you need to keep these things in mind:
The Source
Are you talking to a peer or an expert? An expert’s opinion will often result in change, while a peer is likely in the same boat as you. Are they a good source of advice?
It’s scary to consider change but remember that when you’re feeling sick, how do you feel if your doctor says that nothing is wrong with you? Be open to the idea of change, even if it may produce some pain.
Relevance
I went to college in the 1990s. I have experiences and knowledge from that time. But this information is frozen in time. If you are a freshman in the year 2014, am I the right person to ask about going to college?
Find someone who is a current expert, not someone who is holding on to dated knowledge.
Stake in the Game
Does the person have a vested interest in the topic that you’re asking about? That can change the quality of the advice.
You may be putting a huge bet on that person’s advice, when they have no risk associated with what they’re telling you to do. Think of it as if I had bet my life savings on a football game and I asked you to tell me who you thought would win. If you don’t have a stake in the game, you may just pick one team based on a hunch.
That’s different than a fellow gambler who understands the pain of making the wrong bet. That person would likely give you a recommendation based on several factors like the weather, the injury status of the top players, and the home field advantage. You won’t receive this level of thought from a casual fan.
I talk more about the topic of advice in my book, Stuck on Yellow, in the chapter called, Junk Mail or Good Advice? You can pick up a copy of this productivity manifesto at Amazon.com
