A senior dev told me something that changed how I ask for help

I was stuck on a bug for two days last month, and I kept asking my team lead for help. He finally sat me down after standup and said, 'Bring me three things you tried, not just the problem.' I realized I was just dumping my issue on him without showing my work. Now I always list my attempts first, like checking logs or testing a fix. It makes the whole process way faster. Has anyone else had a boss or coworker give you a simple rule like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_tara2mo ago

My property manager friend tried that rule and it just made new hires scared to ask anything. They'd rather get a quick answer than watch someone struggle to fill a quota.

bethj442mo ago

That rule can backfire sometimes. I've seen junior devs waste hours trying random fixes just to hit a number. Once a guy spent a whole day on three wrong guesses because he felt he had to. Sometimes you just don't know where to start, and asking for a nudge is okay. Shouldn't the rule be about showing you thought about it, not counting attempts?

sageallen2mo ago

My old boss had that exact rule and it honestly saved so much time. I mean, it forces you to actually dig into the problem instead of just passing it off. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather someone show they tried something, even if it's wrong.