In a recent reflection session I attended as part of a development programme I talked about one piece of the course that stood out for me. For me this was the active learning opening session. I thought it would be one thing, but it was something else entirely. The session was completely different to what I had expected it to be (this is a positive statement). Even so it exceeded my expectations.
I realised that I have an advice monster!
In preparation for the session we were given the following advice.
if you are wondering why we stress the importance of not giving advice in these sessions, here’s a great Ted talk that demonstrates it well.
This is a nice talk on why even though you may be desperately wanting to give advice, you know they need advice, the reality is that they don’t. After watching this, I realised that I have an advice monster!
I use to be the youngest member of staff in the places I worked. The mantra often was, I lacked experience, and that experience would come with age.
Now I am old. I have decades of experience.
But this learning enabled me to recognise that I need to use that experience in a different more constructive way. With age comes experience, but the best way to use that experience is to help others to gain their own experiences in arriving at solutions.
When it came to the session itself we were working with colleagues on solving a problem or issue they were having without providing advice. The session was rather challenging in getting to help the person without offering advice or a solution. In some ways it was quite frustrating.
With age comes experience, but the best way to use that experience is to help others to gain their own experiences in arriving at solutions.