Use this to: decide what help you can offer when someone brings you a problem.
Try it
- Ask what they need. “Would you like me to listen or help you think through options?”
- Check what you can offer. Consider your energy, time, and whether you have useful help to give.
- Make the offer specific. Name what you can do and any limit on it. Their decision can remain theirs.
Example
A friend is upset about work. You can listen for ten minutes, but you cannot review job listings with them tonight. Say: “I can listen for a few minutes. I don’t have room to help with applications tonight.”
Your next step: Finish: “I can offer …. I need to stop or pause when ….”