Consider how much you can help people by guiding them toward discovery of their own solutions as opposed to giving advice. It’s far more empowering for people to discover solutions themselves.

So what makes doing that so hard? What blocks us from guiding people toward self-discovery instead? Here are some ideas:

  • We like to hear ourselves talk.Giving advice vs. self-discovery
  • We enjoy sharing our wisdom.
  • We’re too impatient to slow down and let people process for themselves.
  • We think people aren’t bright enough to figure things out on their own.
  • We feel a pressure to be helpful or perceived as wise.
  • We want to control the outcome.
  • We want them to get at what we think is the right answer.

Instead, move away from being the answer person to helping others discover their own answers: respecting the person, valuing them, honoring them, unpacking their thinking. The principle is that people learn better when they discover for themselves.