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Asking for Help is a Sign of Strength

When we decide to “go it alone,” we miss an opportunity to build community and to build trust with others. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you’ve got to run around all day long asking for help on every little thing you are doing. What I am saying is that, far too often, we overlook the benefits of simply saying, “I need help.” Here are three advantages of asking for help:

1. You gain another’s skill set, expertise, or perspective. Let’s say that you’ve been asked to present to the executive team in your organization. Asking a peer to walk through your presentation with you is a great way to become more comfortable with your presentation and address any gaps that they help to identify. Additionally, they may be able to give you insight into your audience so that you can refine your messaging.
2. You are able to get to a solution more quickly. What’s the old adage…two heads are better than one…A great example of this is when scientists had reached a roadblock and needed a fresh approach so they turned to gamers and, voila, roadblock eliminated! (https://www.nbcnews.com/sciencemain/gamers-solve-molecular-puzzle-baffled-scientists-6c10402813)
3. You enable creativity in your team. When those around you realize that you don’t have all of the answers, haven’t figured it all out, and are willing to admit your vulnerability, guess what happens? They feel more emboldened to do the same! And, that leads to being more willing to ask “what if” questions and imagine possibilities which, for organizations aspiring to innovate, can be a catalyst for collective ideation.

As a leader, our ability to tap into the resources that reside all around us doesn’t make us weaker, it makes us collectively stronger.

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