All You Have to Do Is Ask

Today's blog post is based on a podcast from The Art of Manliness.

Are you feeling overwhelmed at work? Trying to find a job, but can’t seem to get your foot in the door? Have you been knocking your head against a problem over and over again, but haven’t made any headway on it? 

My guest today says you can solve most of these issues by simply asking for help.

His name is Wayne Baker, he’s a sociologist, consultant, and the author of the book All You Have to Do Is Ask: How to Master the Most Important Skill for Success. 

We begin our conversation discussing what the research says are the benefits of asking for help and why people are nevertheless so reluctant to do it. Wayne then provides insights on how to overcome those obstacles in asking for help, the best way to formulate an ask so that it actually gets a response, and how to handle rejection. We then turn to Wayne’s research on how organizations can benefit from creating a culture of help-seeking and what you can do within the organizations you belong to to foster such a culture.

The myth of the rugged individualist makes it difficult for us, especially as Americans, to ask for help from anybody. We feel that we should be able to do it on our own. But the coronavirus is pointing out the fallacy of that idea to us at this very moment.

Here are the highlights of the program:

• What is “generalized reciprocity”?
• What keeps people from asking for help?
• How to “earn” the privilege of asking 
• The productivity benefits of asking for help
• How overgenerous givers hurts themselves
• 4 categories of givers/takers 
• What’s the wrong way to ask for help?
• The 5 criteria of a SMART request 
• Tactics of an effective ask 
• Utilizing your dormant network and weak ties
• Why your requests should be specific 
• Handing rejection 
• How companies and organizations can develop a culture of help-seeking

The podcast was really interesting. Take half an hour and check it out.

Interesting days

Today - Awkward Moments Day, Companies That Care Day, Forgive Mom & Dad Day and Biodiesel Day

Tomorrow - International Read To Me Day, Chocolate Caramel Day, Poultry Day and Client’s Day

Next Wednesday - Waffle Day, Tolkien Reading Day, Manatee Appreciation Day and Pecan Day

April 18 - Piñata Day, Husband Appreciation Day, Columnists Day, World Heritage Day, Lineman Appreciation Day and Auctioneers Day