No need to look for the obvious.

Sharing different options helps you get better at making decisions. As you advance in your career, your success often depends on how well you handle situations where the answer isn’t obvious.

If you get stuck and need advice, try not to ask your manager, “Should I do A or B?” Instead, come up with a third option that shows your own thinking. Explain the pros and cons of the first two choices, then suggest a new idea or a combination of both.

Even if your manager chooses the original plan, you show that you’re not just following orders. You’re focused on finding the best results. When you put in the effort and respect their time before asking for help, people start to trust your judgment. They see that you look for the smartest and most practical solutions, not just the easy ones.

Put these approaches into practice.

Let’s look at practical ways to think things through before asking for help.