Leveraging the skills and talents of others is why we organize and work in teams. Asking for help when we need it is both smart and imperative to produce the best work product possible. Yet, many team members become overwhelmed or disoriented during tasks and are reluctant to ask for assistance. They falter and deliver sub-par work (if they deliver at all) without leveraging the support of other colleagues. Worse yet, they often repeat the same dysfunctional pattern over and over. They’re continually lost and never think to ask anyone for a map.
As I thought of reasons I might not ask for help, what came to mind is the balance between "solving my own problem independently" and "always asking for help before really exploring possibilities". We've all known the person who did not seem to know how to use the search function on youtube or google. It's fine being needed occasionally, but when it is incessant, you wonder why this person is getting paid. I don't want to be that guy. Is that a common reason people don't ask for help?
Does a culture of "asking for help" ever lead to dependency & lack of initiative?
Also, you mentioned "Why would they refuse to ask for a lifeline when they are clearly drowning?" I wonder how clear it is to a "drowning" worker that he/she has passed the point where the job is just difficult to the point where the job is on the brink of failure?
Finally, it takes time to ask for help. There's the initial request, a summary of the problem, an agreement to listen, a more in depth explanation of the background context etc. It could be seen as a risky use of time when a project is teetering, to stop production and step away to pursue a consultation. Am I alone in this thought or have others observed the same in themselves & coworkers?
I enjoyed this piece.
As I thought of reasons I might not ask for help, what came to mind is the balance between "solving my own problem independently" and "always asking for help before really exploring possibilities". We've all known the person who did not seem to know how to use the search function on youtube or google. It's fine being needed occasionally, but when it is incessant, you wonder why this person is getting paid. I don't want to be that guy. Is that a common reason people don't ask for help?
Does a culture of "asking for help" ever lead to dependency & lack of initiative?
Also, you mentioned "Why would they refuse to ask for a lifeline when they are clearly drowning?" I wonder how clear it is to a "drowning" worker that he/she has passed the point where the job is just difficult to the point where the job is on the brink of failure?
Finally, it takes time to ask for help. There's the initial request, a summary of the problem, an agreement to listen, a more in depth explanation of the background context etc. It could be seen as a risky use of time when a project is teetering, to stop production and step away to pursue a consultation. Am I alone in this thought or have others observed the same in themselves & coworkers?