Three types of help

• One: I know the answer and I’ll tell you.

• Two: I know the answer and I can show you how to get there.

• Three: I don’t know the answer and I’m unsure of the steps, but I have some ideas and I’m willing to work alongside you.

Observations: some people (young math students, for example) are much more interested in the first two versions of help.

Said another way: when we just want the answer, we don’t have the patience for mentors. And when we seek a mentor, a partner doesn’t usually suffice.

As we mature in our craft, however, we learn the value of partnership in exploration and discovery. Because our most challenging problems are solved not in isolation, but by working alongside others to discover not-yet-known answers by way of not-yet-known steps.