Asking for help in the office can be hard. Unfortunately, many workers feel that they will be labeled as incompetent or lazy if they ask for help, often leading to bad results and further consequences if they try to go it alone.
Instead of unnecessarily struggling with an issue on your own, follow these helpful tips on how to ask for help in the office.
1. Try it first
No matter how impossible a task seems, try to accomplish it on your own before you ask for help. Use a wide variety of solutions or ideas to try and tackle the issue. By doing so, you’ll have more to contribute if you do need to ask for help by explaining the methods you already tried that didn’t work.
2. Don’t wait too long
Staying at the office until 1 am, neglecting other projects, or missing deadlines may all be indicators that you’re stuck or in a rut on your current task. The longer we delay asking for help the worse the problems can become and the fewer options there are to resolve them," says psychologist Richard Plenty. Instead, ask for help before you once again find yourself as the last one in the office on a Friday night.
3. Ask a trusted colleague
If you’re uncomfortable asking for help, turn first to a colleague whom you trust. Fess up to your insecurities; more often than not, they will be honored that you chose to come to them for help. Doing this may also help you quickly resolve the issue – without needing to turn to your boss for help.
4. Use different words
Instead of saying, “This is overwhelming,” try, “This new project is making it difficult for me to manage my time effectively.” Likewise, instead of admitting that you don’t know what to do, address the progress you’ve already made or the things you’ve already tried. Doing this can turn a pity party into a collaborative brainstorming session.
While needing to ask for help may leave you feeling like a failure, the way in which you ask for help can shape how others in your office view you. By following these steps, you can confidently ask your coworkers for assistance next time you need it.
Instead of unnecessarily struggling with an issue on your own, follow these helpful tips on how to ask for help in the office.
1. Try it first
No matter how impossible a task seems, try to accomplish it on your own before you ask for help. Use a wide variety of solutions or ideas to try and tackle the issue. By doing so, you’ll have more to contribute if you do need to ask for help by explaining the methods you already tried that didn’t work.
2. Don’t wait too long
Staying at the office until 1 am, neglecting other projects, or missing deadlines may all be indicators that you’re stuck or in a rut on your current task. The longer we delay asking for help the worse the problems can become and the fewer options there are to resolve them," says psychologist Richard Plenty. Instead, ask for help before you once again find yourself as the last one in the office on a Friday night.
3. Ask a trusted colleague
If you’re uncomfortable asking for help, turn first to a colleague whom you trust. Fess up to your insecurities; more often than not, they will be honored that you chose to come to them for help. Doing this may also help you quickly resolve the issue – without needing to turn to your boss for help.
4. Use different words
Instead of saying, “This is overwhelming,” try, “This new project is making it difficult for me to manage my time effectively.” Likewise, instead of admitting that you don’t know what to do, address the progress you’ve already made or the things you’ve already tried. Doing this can turn a pity party into a collaborative brainstorming session.
While needing to ask for help may leave you feeling like a failure, the way in which you ask for help can shape how others in your office view you. By following these steps, you can confidently ask your coworkers for assistance next time you need it.
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