The Power of Asking For Help in Business
Why we need to ask for help
How good are you at asking for help, or accepting help?
We all love being asked if we can help. But we often seem to find it difficult to ask for help ourselves, or even accept help when it’s offered.
Why is it hard to ask for help?
We may see asking for help as a sign of weakness or incompetence, or feel that we don’t want to take up someone’s time. We need to know all the answers, right? Everyone else seems to.
The truth Is that building a business can be tough – and lonely.
Unfortunately, business owners only usually come to me as a coach when they’re at their wits’ ends after struggling with growing problems for years. They almost always declare that they wish they’d known about business coaching earlier and tell me that one of the most valuable parts of our coaching is that it’s so good to have someone on their side to help them.
One guy I worked with had been in business for 20 years. In all those years he hadn’t felt able to take a holiday for more than a week at a time. He didn’t trust his team to keep the business going in a prolonged absence. Six months after working with me, he was able to take his family away for a three-week break. All those years!
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We’ve been trained to ask ourselves, “How can I do this?” The better question is “Who is the best person to help me with this?”
Henry Ford was famous for collecting a team of people around him who knew the answers to everything he didn’t.
During a lawsuit (during which he was accused of having little general knowledge), Ford was reported to have said, “I have a row of electric push buttons on my desk and by pushing the right button I can summon to my aid men who can answer ANY question I desire to ask concerning the business to which I am devoting most of my efforts”.
Steve Jobs also famously shared that he deliberately hired people who knew more than him so would be a greater help to his business.
Asking for help shows humility and self-awareness. None of us has all the answers but there is always someone out there who can help. Getting help is essential for growth.
In the current business landscape, we gain a great advantage when we recognise this truth and are unafraid to ask for help.
Can I help you? Please do get in touch!
Ros Jones
Helping Busy Professionals in Yorkshire Overcome Stress, Anxiety, & Weight Struggles with Expert Hypnotherapy. With years of experience & proven results, I’ve supported & helped countless clients achieve their goals.
7moIt’s good to ask for help and it’s not a sign of weakness doing so.
Helping people build a flexible business | Health and Wellness sector | Home based | Work Life Balance - Take control of health and financial future
7moLove this insight! 🌟 It's funny how we all hesitate to press the 'help' button until it's almost too late. Definitely something to ponder on!
Live a Life of Shameless Freedom | Keynote Speaker 🎤 | Singer-Songwriter 🎶| Retreat & Workshop Leader | Author of The Sensual Feminine Life 6 Book Series |
7moThank you for the reminder all we have to do is ask there is someone who is willing to help us
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7moNobody knows it all and a fresh pair of eyes can often see things differently and spot the opportunities in any situation.