It’s not always easy to ask for help. You’re a business leader – and yet, even you may find it difficult at times. Put yourself in your employees’ shoes … and envision how challenging this may be for them, as they may worry their request will be perceived as a sign of weakness, laziness or incompetence. But if they’re completely stumped on how to complete a project or assignment, the worst thing they can do is just keep treading water. You can avoid this by creating a culture of open-mindedness about helping, giving, sharing and collaborating.
A Sign of Strength
Asking for help is fundamental to the individual, team and, yes, company success. Keep productivity, profitability and morale levels high and stress levels low by clearly indicating to your employees that asking for help when needed is a sign of strength, self-awareness, maturity and confidence.
- Walk the talk. The best way to show your team it’s ok to ask for help is to do so yourself. Whether it’s an introduction to a colleague, a recommendation for a vendor or a specific piece of data needed to complete a project, be a good role model. Plus, how great will that entry-level employee feel when they get a sincere request for their ideas from a more senior colleague?
- Make it easy for people to ask for and provide assistance. Encourage employees to focus on a current project and write down their goals for completing it. Have them take the most important goals and list the action steps and resources required to achieve them. Then, they’ll have a series of needs that may merit a request for assistance. Reiterate the fact they shouldn’t hesitate to turn to others when necessary.
- Help people know how to ask. A poorly phrased request makes it difficult for another person to respond. You should already be ingraining SMART – specific, meaningful, action-oriented, realistic and time-bound – goals into your employees’ mindset. Take the SMART approach a step further so it applies to requests for help.
Building a healthy company culture – for your employees and for your business as a whole – is critical to your competitive success and employer brand image. The ability to ask for help is an important part of this picture. For additional ideas, resources and expertise on how to make it happen, contact the workforce development experts at PrideStaff Modesto today.
