Let’s face it, asking for help sometimes can be tough. It may feel like we are admitting that we don’t know something that we feel we should. Or perhaps we are nervous that someone will laugh at our question. Or be bothered by it.
The reality is actually quite different. Most people LOVE to be given the opportunity to help another person. In fact, they cherish the opportunity to share what they know, mentor another person, or even save someone the time or effort they spent on a similar issue.
So why do we still hesitate to ask? Perhaps it’s human nature to want to go it alone. Figure it out by our own will and wits. To not admit “defeat.” But there’s working and there’s working smart. By utilizing all our resources, including our peers and colleagues, we aren’t just working, we are working smart.
Now of course, we never want to go the route of bending the rules on project by utilizing resources that have been prohibited. Sometimes part of a project is to struggle a bit. After all, our biggest learnings often come from our challenges. In these cases, the rules rule!
Assuming this isn’t the case, let’s focus on working smart. And by that, I mean asking for help when help is needed. Not being shy or hesitant, but rather go forth with confidence and ask informed questions from those that can assist. By advancing our work through asking for help when needed, we are learning not only the skill at hand, but the value of working diversely and the powerful skill of collaboration.
Diversity:
Through working with others who come from different backgrounds, talents, and skills sets than ours, we are being given the opportunity to learn innovative new ideas and solutions that may just not be in our own wheelhouse. It broadens the scope of our learning and our own toolbox, so to speak. We can feel a gain like this not only on the project at hand, but projects down the line.
Collaboration:
The skill of collaboration is one that is universally utilized, whether at school, work, or in life. Being able to “play nice,” share your talents, and communicate your ideas to others toward a unified solution comes into play every day. The better we can flex our communication style so we can create an effortless experience for those in our group, the more effective we can be at sharing our ideas and facilitating a solution.
Plus, collaboration is a two-way street. That’s actually the beauty of it. Just as others are learning from what we bring to the table, we get the chance to learn what they have to offer as well. Win-win!
So, if you find yourself hesitant to ask for help again, think about the benefits of working smart, the value in diversity, and power of collaboration. All can help us advance from point A to point B not only quicker but more smoothly. And we may even find ourselves with a whole new group of people to add to our network along the way!
Comments