On keeping the door open

I’ve gained a lot from opening my doors to people who wanted a bit of help, so I found myself disagreeing with Dan Mall’s post about portfolio reviews this weekend. Dan argues that asking someone to do something is a pitch, and that you should explain what’s in it for them. If you’re asking for a favour with nothing in return, he wants that made explicit as a request for charity. He also offers some useful advice about asking specific questions and finding someone whose experience is relevant, and invites the person who asked to try again. I understand wanting to know what someone needs help with. I find the expectation that they should explain the benefit to me quite a strange place to start though, because some of the value I’ve had from these conversations only became clear by having them. When I wrote about switching careers back in 2022, I’d been mentoring on ADPList for a few months. I was learning a lot about my teaching style and what I could offer people beyond the usual…

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