Choose curiosity over advice, says Michael Bungay Stanier

Did you know that we all have an advice monster that lives inside us?

Maybe you don’t know it by name, but you’ve seen it in action. That sudden urge to leap in, take over, and solve all manner of problems for those around you.

This makes you feel good and smart. Helping others, sharing your knowledge, taking care of business. Except it doesn’t make those in the path of the advice monster feel that way.

It makes them feel everything from helpless, to controlled, to coddled. Not empowered, unleashed, or accountable.

The good news is that the advice monster can be tamed. The easiest way to defeat it is with curiosity. Michael Bungay Stanier has been precociously curious his whole life. And it’s what has led to his unique leadership philosophy, a coaching practice, and multiple books.

In this lively chat, Michael shares why giving advice doesn’t work, how to lead with curiosity, and practical tips for changing the way you interact with others, for good.

Listen to the episode

“In two minutes a little bit of curiosity can make a conversation a lot more effective.”

Michael Bungay Stanier

Author and Founder, MBS.works

Bio

Michael is the author of the best-selling coaching book of the century, The Coaching Habit. He was banned from his high school graduation for "the balloon incident".

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Resources

The Coaching Habit

The Advice Trap

Year of Living Brilliantly

What's your Advice Monster?

We Will Get Through This podcast

The Optimist’s Telescope by Bina Venkataraman

Leadership That Gets Results by Daniel Goleman