Bottom Line Inc | Learning to Ask for Help is the Key to Every Door |

Asking a question is a simple act. Yet, asking someone for help often can be overwhelming. Many prefer to suffer alone rather than risk feeling uncomfortable. 

Besides simply needing assistance, not reaching out to others—whether for information, referrals, help with a personal challenge or advice about a demanding work project—can keep you from learning new things, achieving goals and making social connections. 

This article explores the 5 myths about asking for help that stop us-

Myth #1: “I should be self-reliant.”

Myth #2: “I’ll look lazy.” 

Myth #3: “I don’t know anyone who can help me.” 

Myth #4: “People don’t want to be bothered.” 

Myth #5: “I’ll be indebted.”  

The post touches on other topics such as “How to ask successfully, What if they say “No,” and How to expand your network.

Productivityist Podcast | Wayne Baker

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“Asking for help can be a real challenge – and it keep us from reaching our full potential. The conversation we have on this episode should help you get better at asking. Dr. Baker and I discuss why we need help from others to be more productive, why generosity within a company isn't the issue when it comes to developing a culture where asking is fostered, and how leaders can use certain techniques and tools to build a habit of asking in themselves and their colleagues.”

How can company leaders help cultivate a culture of generosity and nurturing the idea of asking ?


Business Insider and Wayne Baker Debunk The 2 Big Myths About Asking For Help

Science agrees you should stop being afraid to ask for help. An expert debunks 2 big myths about why people don't.

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Business Insider reflects on ‘All You Have to Do Is Ask,’ by Wayne Baker in a recent article and highlights major ideas from the book.

“Asking for help is something that everyone struggles with. One way to overcome this reluctance is to understand two common beliefs about asking and then to update these beliefs based on evidence from research…”

1) We underestimate other people's willingness and ability to help
2) We perceive there to be social costs of seeking help

The 'All You Have to Do Is Ask' Journey | Infographic

Follow the path to learn the ‘ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK’ process! 

Asking for what you need is the key to success. When you ask, you get the resources—information, ideas, advice, opportunities, referrals, connections, and more­­—that are so essential for high performance, superior productivity, satisfaction, and the ability to fulfill your purpose.

The journey begins with giving yourself permission to ask.  Learn how to surmount the obstacles to asking and reach the mountaintop.  From there, take the assessment to determine your dominant asking-giving style (a free digital version is on the website).  Determine your goals and needs, make SMART requests, and figure out who to ask.  Open the treasure chest to find dozens of tools for groups, teams, and organizations. Ready for the journey?

Please feel free to download this infographic and share it!

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The Real Challenge of Generosity | A Psychology Today Blog

Wayne Baker becomes a new Psychology Today’s columnist with the blog series ‘Master Your Success.’

His first post in this series is title ‘The Real Challenge of Generosity.’ “In every act of giving is also an act of receiving. In the workplace, people don’t ask because they dread the social costs of seeking help, or they prefer to be self-reliant…”

 
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UM Ross, Thought In Action, Covers Insight From Baker's New Book

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The University of Michigan, Ross School of Business recently interviewed Wayne Baker, author of All You Have to Do Is Ask on concepts and research from his new book. Highlights from the article are as follows:

  • What does research tell us about the power of seeking help?

  • How can a network of giving and receiving get us the answers or resources we need?

  • Why can it be so difficult to ask for help?

  • How can we change our attitude from “asking for help is a bad idea” to “asking for help is essential to success”?

  • What can managers do to encourage asking for help?


Harvard Students Learn to Give and Take

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The Harbus News relays story about the 2019 MBA Program kick-off featuring a new addition for first year MBA students - Reciprocity Rings. The Reciprocity Ring is one of the tools featured in ‘All You Have To Do Is Ask.’ The Harvard MBA program took on the exercise to build high-quality connections between students during the second day of class. Harvard MBAs found the Reciprocity Ring to be beneficial not only for getting help themselves, but also for getting to know new classmates. “It was an interesting psychological bridge-building exercise. You learn a lot about people, not just based on where they worked or are from, but on what they request. Their request speaks to their personality or the types of hobbies that they would like to bring to campus.”