Showerthought: a bad day at the library made me rethink how I answer questions

I was helping a student at the school library last year, and they asked me a simple question about a book. I gave a long, detailed answer that just confused them. Later, another teacher just pointed to the right shelf and said 'try that one.' The student found it right away. It made me think: when someone asks for help, is it better to give them the full answer, or just point them in the right direction so they figure it out? I've been trying the 'pointing' method for about 6 months now, and it works better most of the time. But sometimes people really do need the full answer. What's your take on this for an 'ask anything' kind of place?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wesley15d ago

Actually depends on the person's confidence level. Someone unsure might freeze with just a direction, while a curious person thrives on the clue. Gotta read the room first.

dylan97615d ago

Totally agree with @the_wesley. It's all about that first quick read of the person. Like, if someone's eyes dart around looking for help, they probably need the exact steps. But if they lean in and get a little smile, that's your cue to give them the puzzle piece and let them run with it. Getting that wrong can totally shut down the whole interaction.

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john_murphy6415d agoOG Member

Yeah, reading people is the hardest part.