As people who are hired to do magic, wouldn’t it be irresponsible to letthe people we serve “believe in magic,” since “such magic doesn’t really exist?”Isn’t part of our job to demonstrate, in a teacherly way, that there was never any magic at all?

Great question.

My answer: Maybe.

If the goal is to get the thing done, taking the extra time to tell them how it was done isn’t helpful. In my car, I push a button and the engine starts. I only have a vague knowledge of everything that transpired because I pushed the button. Taking the time to learn all that, just to fetch milk at the corner store, doesn’t really help me. As humans, we can only absorb so much information.

Yet, without that information, I shall never be capable of building my own car. I may not even be knowledgable enough to repair my car, or even properly diagnose a problem. For many people, in most situations, having none of those requisite skills will ever hold them back.

In business, knowing how design works could add value. But it’s not clear this knowledge will add value right now. Maybe after a few projects, where there some sign of curiosity or a desire to do this without our help—maybe that would be the gateway where taking the role of teacher will add value to the experience.

We need to be careful, because it’s arrogant to hold the presumption that everyone always needs to learn everything about what we do. We don’t always need to know how the car ignition system works. We just need it to work so we can get the milk.