In ethics and in public relations we are often asked for advice.

There are many other professions such as legal, accounting and medical whose basic service is to offer advice. In our private lives we also give counsel to our family and friends. But are we entitled?

In a recent humorous article in The Onion, I read that (imaginary) Professor Fultz at the University of Chicago conducted a study that revealed that 38% of people or more than on third of the U.S. population is neither entitled nor qualified to have an opinion.

“We concluded,” said Prof. Fultz “that the opinions expressed were so off-base and ill-informed that they actually hurt society by being voiced.”

Seriously, what allow us to be an advisor or counselor? What are the attributes of a good advisor? Let me list a few. A good advisor should be:

1. A good listener: we should keep an open mind and have no preconceived ideas.

2. Knowledgeable: We need some knowledge and experience in the subject matter but if we feel we are not qualified, we should decline to offer advice.

3. Caring: Our advice should only be given if we really care about the consequences if our advice is taken.

4. Humble: We can never be absolutely sure that the advice we give is indeed the best advice.

5. Impartial: We have to make sure that the advice we give is not influenced by biases or motivated by any personal interest.

6. Honest: Sometime the advice to give is not easy to accept and we may be tempted to comprise in our response in order not to offend our interlocutor.

When people ask me for advice, I believe I can only offer to share my experience and indicate what I would do if I was in the same circumstances. Always remembering that I can never really be in someone else’s shoe, and that no two experiences are exactly the same.

Francis Bacon once said: He that gives good advice builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both; but he that gives good admonition and bad example, builds with one hand and pulls down with the other.