Do you need some help?

Do you need some help?

It’s one of the hardest things that we do

For some of us, it is seen as a sign of weakness

We try to avoid it at all costs

We keep up a façade of competence just so we don’t have to do it…

Even when we recognize it as a sign of strength…  it’s still hard to do

What is it? Ask for help.

Yet once you overcome all the obstacles, take a deep breath, kick yourself in the pants and actually do it– not only is it a huge relief, but the pay back is also huge.  The benefits?

You are seen as human (and sometimes that’s a plus).

Others have an opportunity to help in ways they might never have known even existed.

Others can work in their strengths (which may replace your weaknesses).

You develop relationships that might not have been possible otherwise.

You accomplish something that you couldn’t do by yourself.

You learn something new.

I could go on and on…  According to Brene Brown asking for help also develops trust between managers and employees.  Here’s a quote:

We asked managers a simple question: What behaviors do you find the most trust-earning in your direct reports? Everyone guesses the answer is reliability or accountability. Those answers rank in the top 5. The number one trust-earning behavior? Asking for help. It feels counter-intuitive, but would you delegate an important project to someone you know wouldn’t ask for help if s/he were struggling?  Brene Brown

So what have you been struggling with lately? 

What if its possible that someone has the ability and the desire to solve that problem for you? 

What if by not asking you are cheating them of an opportunity and yourself of a successful ending?

Think first about how you feel when someone asks you for help, then allow someone else that same opportunity to be a giver… by asking for the help you need. 

Lynne is one of my favorite people. She forced me to make some introspective decisions – when I least wanted to and changed the trajectory of my career. She is a professional coach, author and one of the coolest people I know. ~Betsy Mathews