Paul McGinley would be open to offering Darren Clarke advice, but the former Ryder Cup captain has told Europe's new leader to simply stick to his own style and beliefs.
Clarke will lead Europe at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2016, two years after McGinley was at the helm to lead his team to victory.
Europe have won eight of the past 10 Ryder Cups, putting the pressure on Clarke to deliver once more when the event heads to Minnesota.
McGinley said it was important for the 2011 Open Championship winner to be himself, rather than try and copy his successful predecessors.
"I mentioned integrity and honesty and we all view things in their own way, and it's very important that Darren is open and honest with himself and does what he believes," McGinley said.
"And as much as Ryder Cup went as well as it did, and so many people said nice things about what we did, if he tries to copy me, that would be a mistake.
"You need to have your own identity as a captain, and you need to have integrity in what you're doing and belief in what you're doing, and if you have that, that's easy to relate to the players.
"But if you're trying to copy somebody else, you don't become authentic.
"My advice to him would be, be your own man, there's a number of ways of winning, it doesn't have to be the way I did."
McGinley said he would happily help Clarke in any way, but backed the two-time Europe vice-captain to have his own success.
"I haven't spoken to Darren yet. He's been travelling since he was appointed," he said.
"Darren has played five Ryder Cups, he's been vice-captain twice, so he's privy to a lot of that. He's been riding shotgun in a lot of that success, so he's going to have his own ideas.
"What's important is, of course, if Darren wants to have a chat with me of course I'm happy to help in any way, but I also think it's very important for a leader and captain to be their own man."