Advice, or "To Listen or to Ignore?"

You run across people in pugs who like to tell you how bad you are and that you're doing everything wrong and that your gear and talents and hairstyle all suck.

But what about a person who gives you good advice and doesn't disparage you in the process, but who isn't very good at giving advice?

I was on Windwhistler today, trying to get a bit of her rested ground off while finishing some instance quests.  My shaman healer felt the need to tell me I wasn't holding aggro well enough and that I should [Rend] before I [Thunderclap] on groups.

I've never claimed to be an expert on Warriors, but I know that [Rend] is a single-target ability, so this advice made me reply "It doesn't seem as if rend would help with group aggro."

To which the shaman replied that the new way of doing things was "weird."

I tried it here and there in the instance but didn't always do it because I a) wasn't used to having it in my rotation and b) didn't know why I was supposed to use it for groups of mobs.

When the shaman reminded me to use "rend + thunderclap" when I'd been trying like the dickens to control a group and keep it off the DK who kept putting down aoe and the warlock whose pet kept grabbing aggro, I asked husband: "Honey, does [Rend] help with warrior tanking for groups?  Specifically [Rend] and then [Thunderclap]?"

He replied that there was a talent that, if you put [Rend] on one mob and then [Thunderclap], it puts rend onto all the mobs hit by your thunderclap.  I then passed this info on to my group.

Shaman came back with a "Yeah, that's why I told you to do it."  As if I were stupid for not listening to his brilliant explanation of "the new way of doing stuff is weird."

I pointed out that he hadn't explained it to me and now that I had a reason to do it, I'd be more likely to work it in.

The whole thing wasn't so much annoying as frustrating.  Even people who are right about their advice don't do anyone a favor by saying "Just do this."

We need a reason.  We need explanations.  We need to know why.  It's always a strong possibility that the person telling us "I know what I'm talking about" is just blowing smoke. Or even that their information is outdated.  And without evidence to the contrary, why should we listen to them?

So I appeal to all you advice-givers -- be able to back up your advice with an explanation.  And you advice-takers, be ready to prod your advice-givers for more than a "Do this."  Ask them why, or what (for example) changed in the patch that makes this worthwhile, or what this combination of moves or stats does for you that your current moves or stats don't.

Everyone will be a lot happier (and much better players!) if we can just communicate this sort of thing better.

:)