Unhelpful Work Advice: 3 Types to Ignore

This article explores the three common types of unhelpful advice and feedback that can hinder your professional growth, especially in the fields of writing and law. While well-meaning, these types of guidance often reflect a lack of effort from the mentor rather than an assessment of the mentee's skills or potential.

• Indiscriminate advice
• Inscrutable feedback
• Impossible instructions

The Indiscriminate

Indiscriminate advice refers to guidance that lacks focus or prioritization. It throws a massive amount of information at you without providing any context or direction for navigating it. This can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to start.

• A new lawyer being told to read the entire Criminal Code of Canada, without any direction on what parts are most relevant to their work
• A writer being told to "review the guidelines" before submitting an article, without any specific feedback on what aspects of their work were lacking.

The Inscrutable

Inscrutable feedback is characterized by vague, unhelpful comments that don't offer any concrete guidance for improvement. It may simply express a general dislike for the work, leaving you unsure how to address the issue.

• "This just doesn't sound right."
• "It doesn't have the right feel."
• "I feel like it's still off somehow."

The Impossible

Impossible instructions or feedback demand unrealistic actions or outcomes. It may ask for contradictory results or disregard the capabilities of the person receiving the advice.

• "Keep it professional, but make it more casual, like a good friend is talking to you over lunch. But formal at the same time."
• Asking someone with substance abuse issues to completely abstain from alcohol while they await trial.

Focus on Actionable Work Advice

While honest, insightful, and actionable feedback is invaluable for any professional, not all advice is created equal. Generic, catch-all advice, confusing and vague feedback, and guidance that's just completely unrealistic or impossible to follow are all safely forgotten.

• Don't let bad feedback frustrate you or stop you from accomplishing your goals.
• Focus on the good advice you can follow and ignore the rest.
• Seek out mentors and feedback sources who provide specific, constructive, and attainable advice.

Learn to Filter Unhelpful Work Advice

Filtering out unhelpful advice is a crucial skill for career success. By recognizing the three types of unhelpful guidance outlined in this article, you can learn to separate valuable advice from the noise.

• Ask for clarification when you receive vague or confusing feedback.
• Don't hesitate to challenge feedback that seems unreasonable or impossible.
• Focus on developing a strong understanding of your work and your goals so you can better discern useful advice.

Focus on Your Work and Your Goals

In the end, your professional growth relies on your ability to identify and act upon valuable advice and feedback. By recognizing and discarding unhelpful guidance, you can move forward with confidence and achieve your career goals.

• Learn from your mistakes and use them as opportunities for growth.
• Seek out mentors who provide supportive and constructive guidance.
• Trust your instincts and don't be afraid to challenge the status quo.