3 Types of Advice More Insidious than Helpful

Dustin M. Wehman
10 min readDec 13, 2023
Flower display, Asian Lantern Festival — Pittsburgh 2023

I was reflecting about advice I have received over the years in a professional setting. I have worked with a number of great individuals and worked for some really good organizations. It is important to seek wisdom and learn from many different people throughout your life, taking heed of the diversity of perspectives and experiences of all these individuals.

I have been fortunate to glean the lessons that have lead to success at a professional services firm. However, when looking back on the many times folks tried to actively impart knowledge, I have found their advice generally falls into three categories.

Keep doing what you’re doing.

The numbers!

Work more hours.

Let’s explore each of these categories. While mentors usually mean well, these types of lessons typically fall flat when trying to coach and educate others. It can be beneficial to understand where these pieces of advice fall short, and how we can impart our knowledge more effectively in the future.

Keep Doing What You’re Doing

The Issue:

“Wow, I must be doing a great job!” It’s very easy to accept this type of feedback. You’re working hard, doing all of the things you think you should, and your supervisor…

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Dustin M. Wehman
Dustin M. Wehman

Written by Dustin M. Wehman

A CPA and CFE as a professional. A husband and father at home. A writer as a passion.

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