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Jeff Colvin
Management Consultant & Founder of Link,
a Management Consulting Group
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Because
you asked for it!
Otherwise how do people know you need any? When is the last time
someone came up to you and said, "Hey, it looks like you could
use some help?" And, when was the last time that you were turned
down when you asked someone for their help?
The request for help is likely to be inversely correlated to the
position you hold in a company. In other words, the higher up you
are the less likely you are to ask for assistance. Is it because
you don't need help or because you are not supposed to need help?
A president of a billion dollar high tech firm once told me that
his staff were "big boys in big boy jobs." This reinforced
the classic top management culture that expects you to know what
you are doing and not to reveal any weakness or evidence that you
don't.
We come full circle to the Peter Principle. "People are promoted
to the level of their incompetence". Now that they are in a
newly acquired position and role how do we provide them the skills,
tools, and know-how to survive and succeed?
Help is certainly less likely to be offered, but much more likely
to be granted. So let's explore why we don't ask for help.
There are names for many fears (see www.phobialist.com) ;Acrophobia-
fear of heights to Zoophobia- fear of animals. No where on this
list of 600 did I find a name for the fear of asking for help.
Based on the culture that you grew up with or the sub-culture surrounding
you at work, you may resist asking for help because of fear of exposing
your weaknesses, demeaning your self image, or of burdening other
people.
There are many more reasons you should be willing to ask for help.
The foremost value is you may actually do something better or smarter
with someone else's input. Additionally, you may find that people
really do like to be helpful. The ability to mentor, teach, or support
someone in need is a fulfilling experience and you may be providing
someone a real gift when you allow them to display these roles.
So help yourself.
Someone bigger than I once said… "Ask and ye shall receive!"
No one does it alone.
LINK is offering a "Sounding Board" consulting session
at no cost to help senior managers help themselves.
Help me help you!
ASKING FOR HELP
Be Sincere/Specific
- Genuinely explain what you need
- Ask for exactly what you want
- Provide some rationale
Let People Help You
- Get out of their way
- Accept help when offered
- Do not resist assistance
Don't Be Afraid
- don't wait until it is too late
- consider/manage the minimal risk
- openly discuss your concerns
Reinforce Helping Behavior
- Just say thank you
- Show and tell the value received
- Offer help to someone else
Show How Helping Helps
- Promote the value and experience
- Give credit where/when it is due
- Measure the impact in multiple ways
Jeff Colvin (Jcolvin@linkllc.com)
founded Link, a management
consulting group in 1997 whose mission is dedicated to the Systems,
Structures, and Behaviors that make people and companies successful.
Link's bottom line focus on process improvement is achieved through
the facilitation and training of cross-functional teams to address
key strategic goals. Learn more about Jeff
Colvin & Link...
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