Welcome to my new seven-post blog, in which I will share my point of view on what I hear when someone says a particular statement. I will do my best to contextualize the meaning behind what I hear because, when it comes to statements, context is everything. How I interpret what someone says depends mostly on my understanding of the context behind it.

“I need your guidance,” says someone. From time to time, we all need guidance on something. Based on what we need guidance on, we might turn to a spouse, a family member, a friend, or a colleague. Perhaps even a total stranger! It’s all context. My initial reaction to that statement is almost always, “Sure! What’s up?” or “How can I help?”

My interpretation of the statement almost always depends on the answer to my question. Someone who truly only wants guidance to find the right direction or make the right decision will provide more context, and content, which can sound something like “I want to turn this paragraph into bullet points. Can you guide me through it?”

Merriam-Webster defines the verb guide as “to direct in a way or course.” It implies that there is an existing way or course to direct someone to or through. It does not imply creation of the way or the course. A tour guide guides people through an existing place, whether a city or a campus or somewhere else. The tour guide doesn’t create the place itself!

In the example above, the person seeking guidance on turning a paragraph into bullet points has a paragraph to kick things off. He or she is not asking me to create one. Instead, if the person brings me nothing but the thoughts in his or her head, or not even those, then I do not hear “I need your guidance.”

I hear “I want your ideas because I don’t want to think for myself” OR “I want your ideas so that I don’t have to think for myself.” A tour guide cannot guide you to or through a place that exists only in your head. You will need to be more specific than “I need your guidance.” A blank sheet of paper must deliver content before it can demand guidance.

If someone truly does not have content or ideas, then I prefer he or she just tell me and ask for help in brainstorming ideas. Just be honest about what you want from someone. Don’t put a tuxedo on a wet dog at the beach. It makes everything worse. I’m not sure how but perhaps someone can guide me in figuring it out since I provided the content.

Was there enough context in that statement to help? What do you hear when someone says, “I need your guidance?” What was the first thing that came to mind when you read “Don’t put a tuxedo on a wet dog at the beach?” Leave a comment below and let me know. Thank you for reading!