Have you ever wondered why we don’t give advice at the CFBC? Well, the Dilbert cartoon that CFBC member Brent Ogle recently sent me explains better than I can - plus it made me laugh!

One of the hardest things for me to learn was that advice is a big NO in the CFBC. That may seem like an easy habit to break, but for me it was not. After all, I’m human and I love to help! Think about how we are all trained to give others advice. Yep, I had years of conditioning to undo.

What I’ve learned over the years is that I would much rather help and contribute through my shared experiences (the good and the bad – I’ve made mistakes!) rather than thinking I have all the answers. Plus, receiving shared experiences from peers feels wonderful. I come away knowing that they understand and have been in my shoes too. Shared experiences express empathy rather than an ‘I’m smarter than you’ attitude.

To be honest, when I think about it, I can’t ever remember anyone taking the advice I so righteously dished out before I learned about shared experiences. I definitely agree with Dilbert and have learned to keep my ego in check.

Thank you to the CFBC for the lesson learned that keeps on giving.

Judy Hogel
CFBC Executive Director

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