Edition 75 – Trusted Advice

When I was in my twenties, I was advised to have my wisdom teeth out. At the time, I didn’t like the oral surgeon. I’d had a bad experience with a dentist when I was 7 years old and so, perhaps, both unfairly and unreasonably, I was not keen on this chap. Though, maybe I just didn’t like the answer?

Eight years ago, my wisdom teeth played up again. This time, a different oral surgeon (one with a personality) told me to hold fire. They were just groaning, not causing any issues.

Four years ago, same thing. Same advice. However, this time, the personable oral surgeon indicated that should they flair up, they were going to be trouble as the removal would be difficult.  When he mentioned difficult, I had visions of him kneeling on my chest and inserting a pair of multi grips inside my mouth to effect the extraction. I took his advice on board. And waited.

Finally, in April of this year, those same wisdom teeth decided to cause me trouble again. They did flair up. All whilst I was in Chicago attending a conference.

All up, I was in Chicago for five days. The discomfort started on day three. By day five it was turning very painful. The trip home was horrendous – on at least my scale of pain. (As an aside, it was interesting to observe, first hand, how inadequate first aid can actually be on a Trans Pacific air flight.)

Fast forward to today. I’ve now had the operation. It was difficult. The recovery was painful. There were complications that had me in for further work. However, five weeks later, I’m just about back to normal.

All of what I have been through had me thinking.

1.    Why do we ask for advice?
2.    Why do we pay for advice?
3.    Why do we listen to advice?

Then choose to ignore it – thinking we know better?

I asked the oral surgeon in my mid-twenties and he recommended removal. I sat there. I listened. I paid him the consulting fee. Then I chose to completely ignore a professional of twenty plus years training because, in my own mind, I knew better. How stupid was I?

Here’s what I believe. If you seek advice, then you are admitting you don’t have the answers.
You’re admitting that you need help. You’re searching for guidance from those around you that you trust and respect. So, why not take the advice, implement it and see how it pans out. Why not give it a go?

On the other hand, if you believe you know better, why not save everyone else’s time and your money?

1.    Don’t ask for the advice.
2.    Don’t ask for their input.
3.    Just manage it all on your own.

And wait for the pain to strike at a later date – when you are a long way from home.

This Week’s Tip

My clients who ask, listen, implement and review my advice in their business go higher, faster than those that don’t. Would you like high and fast?