DON'T GIVE UNSOLICITED ADVICE!
I'm breaking the rule to prove a point. A meme somewhere read: “unsolicited advice is like singing out of tune, nobody wants to hear it.” Sometimes we have the best intentions but our enthusiasm to help, gets the better of us; we start “helping” people. We give advice or help that they “need” but didn't want. We are bewildered when they don't readily and hastily take our advice.
PLEASE DON'T — HELP ME!
A key point to remember is that not everyone lying on the ground is injured or wants to get up. In other words don't assume that what you see as a problem, is viewed as a problem as well, by the other person. Some people rather enjoy lying on the ground. So don't go running to try and pick everybody up. It's better to offer help to the ones not only trying to get up, but who've asked for your help. It saves you time and saves them your annoyance.
DONE TO ORDER
If you must give unsolicited advice... don't! But if you absolutely must, first acknowledge the person, then ask a series of questions to gather more information and to convey your interest in the person and their interests. Only after they've seen you as invested in their interests will they be inclined to listen and only after you've fully diagnosed their problem, and they've asked for help, should you give advice. Only now, it's actually solicited.
What are your thoughts? Let us hear them!