Advice
Giving advice feels good.
Solving problems is intrinsically rewarding.
Your brain is built to leverage its heuristics toward identifying novel solutions.
The reward you get from delivering advice is similar to completing a level of Candy Crush.
In the moment it creates a sense of accomplishment and forward momentum.
A few moments later, you are back on another level to be solved.
Your mind, when solving a problem in the present, does not consider how a previous reward-state might contribute to the problem.
Your mind does not correlate that the advice you gave leads to you giving it over and over.
It does, however, separately feel frustration at a mysterious recurring problem and pleasure at your ability to advise around it.
Breaking the advice-problem cycle involves recognizing that the feeling of reward does not necessarily equal a sustainable solution.
As a leader, are you playing Candy Crush with your team’s problems?
Coffee is the best advice,
- Morning Cup