My apprentice surprised me with a flawless dovetail joint

Sometimes letting go leads to better work.

3 comments

3 Comments

Used to hover over my apprentice's shoulder correcting every little thing. Thought it was the only way to get good work. Then one week I got too busy and had to just give him the task and walk away. He brought back a piece that was honestly better than how I would have done it. Made me realize my constant fixes were just getting in his head. When did you learn to step back?

jesse_carr232mo ago

Watch closely or they'll mess up fundamentals.

campbell.nora2mo ago

That part about fixes "getting in his head" is so real. How do you figure out the line between giving needed guidance and just interfering? Like, do you wait for them to ask for help, or do you check in at set points? I still struggle with knowing when to let someone figure it out versus when my silence just lets a small mistake turn into a big problem later.