I've had many "talks" with managers (who were not directly in line above me), who asked my into their office. "Eddy", they'd say, "you talk too much". They immediately add: "I know, it somehow isn't affecting your work. No complaints there, but you are keeping everybody else from achieving anything. So, for others' sake, just go to work".

In all honesty, I felt I just was doing my work. I needed to understand how my problem was related to the work of others, how what I was doing would fit in what was going on elsewhere. The reason it wasn't affecting my work was because I could come up with solutions before certain problems started being visible.

Somehow, those I was talking to did not use the conversation for the same goal as I did: while I was soaking, they were merely chatting.

Especially important is the difference between what you call "active" and "passive" soak. I think it is all part of the motto: "work smart, not hard."

If you compare a problem with an angry bull coming in your direction, then soaking is like looking down to enjoy the grass growing. Most will just stare at the bull getting closer with every step, which isn't helping. But facing away needs a bit of courage and that can only grow if there is room to fail.

So there is a catch-22: if you know you can wing something, you can relax enough to soak. That situation needs to be actively created as is won't emerge spontaniously.

Advice to first-time soakers: choose a problem where you know you get a second change.