You’re Not Helping, You’re Not Even Listening
- Faiz Faisal
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
There’s something I’ve noticed over the years, both in my career and personal life.
Some people think they know the solution to your problems… without ever talking to you.
And honestly, I’ve never understood that.
In my career, especially working in social media for almost a decade, I’ve faced this more times than I can count. There were moments when things didn’t perform as well as expected. Fair enough—that’s part of the job. Not everything will work.
But instead of sitting down and asking, “What’s the issue?” or “What do you actually need?”, some managers jump straight into solution mode. And not just any solution—their version of a solution.
Coaching. Guidance. “Let me tell you how to do it better.”
But here’s the thing.
Most of the time, I already know what needs to be done.
I’m not lost. I’m not confused. I’m not lacking direction.
What I need… is help.
When I say I need assistance, I mean I need someone to execute with me.
Someone to shoot the video.
Someone to be the talent.
Someone to design the visuals.
That’s it.
I don’t need someone to repeat what I already know. I don’t need another layer of “guidance” that adds more meetings, more discussions, and honestly—more frustration.
And what confuses me the most is this:
If there’s a budget to bring in someone to “guide” me… why not use that same budget to bring in someone who can actually help me execute?
Why is it so hard to just listen?
And it doesn’t just happen at work.
In personal life, it’s the same pattern. People assume. People decide. People tell you what you should do, as if they’ve lived your life, felt your struggles, or understood your situation.
But they haven’t.
And yet, they speak with so much certainty.
I think sometimes, people don’t realise that listening is more powerful than solving.
Not every problem needs a quick fix.
Not every situation needs unsolicited advice.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do is ask:
“What do you need?”
And then actually listen to the answer.
Because solutions without understanding are not solutions.
They’re just noise.
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