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> “If someone asks you a question you can’t answer, take them to someone who can answer it. If you don’t know who that is, help find someone who can.” Isn't th

> “If someone asks you a question you can’t answer, take them to someone who can answer it. If you don’t know who that is, help find someone who can.” Isn't this just ordinary politeness? I can believe that it's not as common as it should be but it's what I usually try to do when asked a question I can't answer. Of course the amount of effort I put in depends on how important I think the question and answer might be.

ElijahLynn 2y ago
Definitely one would think. Some people are busy, and don't take that extra time, or just aren't that polite like you and I.
- chrsig 2y ago
  Some people have taken the extra time and not gotten it in return, or otherwise been met with negative consequences for helping people. Bad experiences when trying to be benevolent really take a tole on some people.
lazyasciiart 2y ago
I try and do it once per person.
hansvm 2y ago
If you haven't explicitly thought about the second-order consequences, something like "I'm almost certain Jane from accounting knows best how to handle that sort of thing, and if not then she definitely knows who to talk to" would seem plenty polite. It solves the asker's problem as best you're able, and it's proactive and friendly.
- DowagerDave 2y ago
  it also indirectly (and unlikely unintentionally) increases your personal value. Triple win!
travisjungroth 2y ago
What takes it beyond ordinary politeness is the “take them”. Putting it into physical space, if someone walked into the wrong office and you told them what the right office was and how to get there that would generally be considered polite. Just telling them they’re in the wrong office is probably impolite. The warm handoff is the equivalent of walking them down the hall and telling the people in the other office why you brought them there. Having worked at a high-end hotel and on software teams with high support standards, this is very natural to me. It isn’t for others.

ElijahLynn 2y ago

Definitely one would think. Some people are busy, and don't take that extra time, or just aren't that polite like you and I.

chrsig 2y ago
Some people have taken the extra time and not gotten it in return, or otherwise been met with negative consequences for helping people. Bad experiences when trying to be benevolent really take a tole on some people.

lazyasciiart 2y ago

I try and do it once per person.

hansvm 2y ago

If you haven't explicitly thought about the second-order consequences, something like "I'm almost certain Jane from accounting knows best how to handle that sort of thing, and if not then she definitely knows who to talk to" would seem plenty polite. It solves the asker's problem as best you're able, and it's proactive and friendly.

DowagerDave 2y ago
it also indirectly (and unlikely unintentionally) increases your personal value. Triple win!

travisjungroth 2y ago

What takes it beyond ordinary politeness is the “take them”. Putting it into physical space, if someone walked into the wrong office and you told them what the right office was and how to get there that would generally be considered polite. Just telling them they’re in the wrong office is probably impolite. The warm handoff is the equivalent of walking them down the hall and telling the people in the other office why you brought them there. Having worked at a high-end hotel and on software teams with high support standards, this is very natural to me. It isn’t for others.