Loud Thinking March 17, 2015 at 01:18PM

THE MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY: Harvard Business Review

March 17, 2015

Know When and How to Ask for Help

People often don’t ask for help because they think it’s perceived as a sign of weakness. But you can’t be successful if you don’t ask for what you need. So here’s how to make it easier:
Help others first. Build a positive reputation as someone who’s willing to lend a hand. For example, offer to assist with a small task, or ask if someone could use extra input on a project.
Know what you want to ask. If you need help with a current project, take the time to write down your goals. Look at the most important one, and list the steps and resources needed to achieve it. Use this series of needs to frame your request.
Ask SMARTly. Many requests are so poorly worded that it’s difficult to respond. Yours should be Specific, Meaningful (explain why you need it), Action-oriented (ask for something to be done), Real, and Time-bound (say when you need it).

Adapted from “5 Ways to Get Better at Asking for Help” by Wayne Baker.

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