Making Etiquette Easy: Paying for Advice

Image from Other Side Rainbow

What is it our parents always said?,"If Joey jumps off the bridge, are you going to jump too? Learn from other people's mistakes." But the reality is, some us still learn the hard way - trial and error. As it is with my own professional experience over the years, I have a wealth of friends and resources who have achieved similar gains in their respective fields. This means I typically know who to call should I need sound advice about my taxes, a new home purchase, or even a wardrobe makeover.

When you seek advice from friends or colleagues, here are the things to remember:

• People work for money. Try to remember this principle when asking to borrow someone's time, especially if it is taking time away from their family. Always make the first move and offer to pay for their time/service. They may turn you down, of course, but you should always offer and at the very least, take them to lunch or drop by a small gift.
• Creative paybacks are acceptable. As stated above, your friend may not accept payment from you, but odds are they will accept another form of gratitude. Perhaps you can offer to assist them in the future if they have a need that falls under your professional umbrella. Think of it as the 21st century barter...
• When in doubt, don't compromise. If you get the feeling that what you're asking for is too much, too privatized, or putting your friend in an awkward position, back down. It's far more important to preserve the relationship than to settle your questions in the present. You can always ask your friend for recommendations of other professionals to reach out to.

Making Etiquette Easy,

Susan K. Medina