[EricH]

Originally Posted by EricVanWyk

Thanks guys, I appreciate the offer. I'm pretty sure I have this bug nailed down, but I'll be sure to come grab you if I don't.

This.

If somebody offers help where it isn't needed, you can simply say, "Thanks, but we're good for now." If they persist in asking to help, you go to "The best way for you to help us is to let us do X. We'll ask you when we need help." (X ideally involves them not being there.) If for some reason they still stick around, have a mentor talk to their mentor about being too helpful. If it gets to that point, then I don't think anyone will have a problem with your telling them to go find another team to help, other than the overly helpful helpers.

Now, if they're giving wrong information, and they try to convince you it's right, the best thing to do is to convince them that their information is wrong--in a gracious manner, of course. This is what you did.

In short, it's possible that you were a little too gracious, but you're going to have to be the judge of that. Gracious Professionalism is a balance between being gracious and being professional. Sometimes you go a little too far one way and sometimes you go a little too far the other way. How far is too far? You make the call.