Leaders and all levels of employees have various perceptions around asking for help in the workplace when making decisions, achieving desired goals, change management, etc. Some employees view asking for help as a sign of weakness and feel they can obtain the answer on their own or perhaps feel embarrassed to ask for help. There are times when an employee does figure out the solution on their own or learns through experience if a mistake is made. So when should we ask for help and when should we figure it out on our own?

Depends on the Situation

When we ask for help when the answer is in a required document for the job, it may be perceived as someone who just wants a quick answer without researching the answer a bit. How do we know when this happens? Usually a manager or peer will ask for the opinion of what the person should do. If the person has no answer, the manager or peer may ask the person to review the documents and return again. Did it create extra work for both people? Would it be faster and easier to just supply the answer? Yes, but learning how to research an answer enhances critical thinking skills and helps with finding future solutions. However, if the manager or peer ask for the opinion and the person has a comprehensive thought process, then managers or peer is usually very receptive to either agreeing with the analysis or offering alternative solutions. This situation is viewed it as a strength to ask for help.

If there Is A Crisis

When there is a problem in the office or a critical decision needs to be made, often times employees feel they need to make the decision on their own which is the exact time to actually ask for help. If there is a serious problem or critical decision that could compromise others, the team or the operation, a confident employee will always request help. When the boat is sinking, bring in as many people as needed to bail out the water! Will others think you are weak for asking for help? ABSOLUTELY NOT! They will KNOW your judgement is accurate on when to ask for help and when to handle on your own. If there is an issue over any level of employee’s expertise, it’s always a sign of strength to ask for help. People love to help and provide their insight, especially in times of crisis. If a leader or employee does not ask for help when there is a serious problem, there may be significant consequences along with questioning an employee’s trust in judgement.

Big Picture

When leaders are thinking about the future of their team or organization, this simply can not be done alone and requires help! Often times there are collateral resources that need to be considered and downstream impacts to other departments. Asking for help and input is an absolute must and a definite sign of strength. In fact, if a leader makes changes without considering all impacts, this will be considered a weakness with potential serious consequences. When changes are made and all are involved, a leader’s decision and judgement will be trusted. When leaders ask for help, it’s a great learning experience because others have tremendous expertise and knowledge that may change the original direction to a better solution.

Asking for help can be perceived as either a weakness or a strength depending on the situation. Most often than not, asking for help is perceived as a strength and a sign of confidence. When to ask for assistance comes with experience, trusting yourself and knowing protocols. Will we make mistakes along the way? Yes! That is how we learn and grow. As long as we are open to making mistakes and having the confidence to move on, we’ll all be just fine.