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How to Tame Your Advice Monster | Michael Bungay Stanier | TED

It lurks within, emerging in conversation to share ineffective, premature suggestions … it’s your advice monster, and we all have one, says writer and teacher Michael Bungay Stanier. He shares how giving advice can easily go astray, from solving the wrong problem to disempowering the very person you’re trying to help, and offers a simple…

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It lurks within, emerging in conversation to share ineffective, premature suggestions … it’s your advice monster, and we all have one, says writer and teacher Michael Bungay Stanier. He shares how giving advice can easily go astray, from solving the wrong problem to disempowering the very person you’re trying to help, and offers a simple question to help you stay curious, strengthen your relationships — and tame that monster. (Recorded at TEDxUniversityofNevada on February 29, 2020)

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52 Comments

52 Comments

  1. @CasperExtension

    March 11, 2025 at 7:01 am

    I thought I knew what I wanted, but clearly, the algorithm knows better

  2. @Eva-d6t3j

    March 11, 2025 at 7:01 am

    I am amazed every time by your talent. You simply shine on the screen!💞💞💞 0 🦕.

  3. @sooma-ai

    March 11, 2025 at 7:10 am

    Michael Bungay Stanier discusses the pitfalls of giving unsolicited advice and how to tame your ‘advice monster’. He suggests staying curious longer by asking three key questions: ‘What’s the real challenge here for you?’, ‘And what else?’, and ‘What do you want?’

    • @MarceloLopezJr

      March 11, 2025 at 7:23 am

      Those are “clean language” questions.

      Before you ASK those questions….you need to prepare the field a bit.

      You need to clarify.
      So you DO ask 1 (maybe 2) questions, before continuing.

      Say “I want to make sure I’m understanding a few things. Do you mind if I ask you some things to help me organize what I’m thinking so I can better help out?”

      Let THEM make the decision.

  4. @deecee6262

    March 11, 2025 at 7:20 am

    As someone whos in training to be a counsellor, this was invaluable ☀️

  5. @SherbetLollipop

    March 11, 2025 at 7:37 am

    Would have been so cool to see a live example

  6. @madhubhai6395

    March 11, 2025 at 7:37 am

    Find the real problem…. Not just say whatever😅

  7. @saiskanda

    March 11, 2025 at 8:10 am

    I like how the page corners are pre-folded so that it’s easier to flip over a page while talking. Can definitely see otherwise fumbling with the pages to try and hold just the top sheet!

    • @saiskanda

      March 11, 2025 at 8:11 am

      Or did it just fold from the practice sessions

  8. @harrypearle9781

    March 11, 2025 at 8:22 am

    TRUMP 2.0 Solutions for Democrats???
    Democrats tend to ramble on and on !!!
    PBA – Paralysis by Analysis for Democrats, now !!!
    =============== KEEP it SIMPLE Democrats =============

  9. @celestialcircledance

    March 11, 2025 at 9:51 am

    I probably won’t follow his advice to the letter but it’s a good takeaway that my advice isn’t as good as I think it is lol .

  10. @sherececocco

    March 11, 2025 at 9:52 am

    Thank you for your energy and I can now name it.

    • @sherececocco

      March 11, 2025 at 9:55 am

      I got it! Captain Save Ahoe❤

    • @sherececocco

      March 11, 2025 at 9:57 am

      Maybe, Captain Save Ahole or maybe Captain Save Awhole😂

    • @sherececocco

      March 11, 2025 at 9:59 am

      Wholly War is not holy😂

    • @sherececocco

      March 11, 2025 at 10:03 am

      Connection is my desire. All emotions are equal.

  11. @user-tp7vk

    March 11, 2025 at 10:06 am

    Perfect

  12. @ZNLBailey

    March 11, 2025 at 11:16 am

    I give others advice to see if it was good advice in the first place.

  13. @craigparsons7595

    March 11, 2025 at 11:22 am

    Yeah I don’t think his advice is as good as he thinks it is

  14. @je8z6x

    March 11, 2025 at 11:49 am

    Maybe we can advise as a suggestibility thru asking a question?

  15. @mbergamin16

    March 11, 2025 at 5:50 pm

    25M subs
    10K views in 10 hours
    25 comments (majoirty bots)

    TED is dead guys.

  16. @patricklavoie8719

    March 11, 2025 at 7:06 pm

    Wow!
    Favorite Ted talk in a while!

  17. @BonnieShadow33

    March 11, 2025 at 7:44 pm

    Validation that I actually got it *right* this morning when a friend came to me for advice! I asked him questions, reflected his answers back to make sure I understand, and asked more questions. At the end I told him I’m confident that he’ll make the decision that’s best for him, regardless of what I think. I did it! I tamed my advice monster! 🎉 Now I just have to keep doing this until it becomes a habit. ☺️

  18. @Geekabibble

    March 12, 2025 at 6:05 am

    In this one it was clear that they were asking for advice. But if someone doesn’t set it up as asking for advice, don’t assume someone telling you something means they need advice.
    I’ll try to tell my mother something that happened to me that day, and there will be things that happened that were challenges that I got through all on my own. It’s just a story I want to let her know about. But she constantly interrupts to give advice on what I should do next, when it’s already resolved. She can’t wait for 5 min to hear a quick story of something funny or weird or annoying that happened that day. She just has to butt in and start giving “advice” which isn’t wanted or needed.
    Don’t do that. It’s so rude to assume someone needs help when they don’t. And, if you give unwanted advice, it usually comes off as criticism. That you don’t think the other person has the knowledge, intelligence, etc to know how to handle it. Also if you tell them you would have done XYZ different, you are criticizing how they did it. Don’t give unsolicited advice.

    • @Queeney_starling

      March 12, 2025 at 6:45 pm

      My mom is the same, and I’m guilty of that too.

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  43. @nguyenquoctuan8910

    March 13, 2025 at 4:52 am

    0:04

  44. @susanbarker6152

    March 13, 2025 at 1:08 pm

    Great Ted Talk! At what age do we decide we are experts in giving advice to anyone who will listen?

  45. @유니정이

    March 13, 2025 at 6:17 pm

    New semester just started in middle school and thanks to this, I think I’ll be able to give good advices to my freinds. Thanks.

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