On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Learning to Ask for Help

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Learning to Ask for Help First, let me admit that I am not big on asking for help. I think part of the reason is that Ive always been sort of an independent spirit I like to do things my way without anyone else telling me how to do it (which is why Ive threatened on numerous occasions to leave the males in my family along the road somewhere the next time they try to tell me how to drive).I think some of my other reasons are pretty common for a lot of people: asking for help may cause others to think Im weak or incapable; Im afraid Ill be turned down by asking for assistance, embarrassing everyone involved; or I just think it will be easier to buckle down and do everything myself.Then I read M. Nora Klavers book and had a change of heart. For the first time, I saw that asking for help doesnt necessarily mean Ive somehow lost. Instead, asking for help at the right time, for the right reasons and from the right people can be, as she says, a blessing.In Mayday! Asking for Help in Times of Need, Klaver writes: T he act of asking for help is not only an invitation, it is a declaration, an assertion that we are deserving of assistance. When we venture to ask for what we need, we learn quickly that we are not alone and that there are resources, friends, and partners available to help. Asking for help can also re-introduce us to the beauty and inherent strength of gratitude.At a time when were all struggling to have work/life balance, Klaver says that asking for assistance may just lead us to a simpler, easier life one that helps us achieve that balance.Still, asking for help is not always easy, especially at work. The key, she says, it not to reach out for help as a last resort, mired in desperation. Rather, she says, asking for help should be thought of as a way to help ourselves grow and make meaningful connections with other people.Klaver offers numerous tips and suggestions in her book about how, when and why to ask for help, but Id like to focus on some questions you can use to get your conversation going when asking for help:1. Would you be willing to help me with something? Is now a good time?2. Ive got something Im trying to resolve, can you give me a hand?3. Im desperate, can you help me please? (This humorous approach should be used when you know the other person pretty well.)4. Im stuck and I cant see clearly how to resolve this. Would you be willing to help me come up with a few ideas?And, if theyre not able to help, ask: Can you suggest someone else who might be able to help? Do you know anyone who has had a similar suggestion? Do you know how they resolved it?After I interviewed Klaver, I began to think of all the times I helped someone in need. I thought about how great I felt by doing it. In this world of chaos and stress and uncertainty, helping someone else whether it was providing a business contact or offering someone a ride home on a hot summer day made me feel good, more at peace.So, the next time you need help, dont suck it up and do it all your self. Spread the blessings around and reach out.