Why Strong Leaders Are Never Afraid To Ask For Help

By Evan Hackel

Before we consider why leaders should cultivate the habit of asking for help, let’s start by defining what we are talking about . . .

We are talking about how important it is for leaders to go outside their inner circle to ask for help in making critical business decisions.

When leaders do that, they reap some remarkable benefits. They open up a flow of new ideas that lead to much better business decisions. Many of those suggestions will come from the people who are living and breathing the business every day.

Why Some Leaders Hesitate to Ask for Help

The reasons vary. Some of them border on the insane, which can be seen when leaders are so arrogant that they don’t think they need help from anyone. Other instances are less extreme but still serious, such as when leaders simply value help so little that they never take the time to ask.

And then there are cases – and these are perhaps the most troubling of all – when leaders don’t ask for help because they think doing so is a sign of weakness; they don’t want anyone to think that they don’t have all the answers.

The result can actually be the loss of the heart and soul of the company, because no company can or should be run entirely from the top down. If you engage people by asking for help, you benefit not just from their ideas, but from their trust and loyalty.

I have led a number of organizations and I am convinced that people feel validated and appreciated when they are asked for help. I also believe that people typically enjoy giving help, because we all naturally feel good about helping others.

But there are many other benefits too, including these:

• You free more of your time to manage top-level responsibilities like long-rang planning, defining your company’s vision and mission, cultivating new business, and just plain thinking about the biggest issues and opportunities that lie before you. This could be the biggest benefit of all.
• You discover strengths and abilities in other people that you might have missed in the past.
• You cultivate a stronger, braver and more balanced team.
• You enable people to do more of what they do best, which makes them happier on the job, reduces turnover, improves productivity and pays other unexpected benefits.
• You establish a healthy atmosphere of give-and-take. When someone helps you, they sense that you “owe” them a favor and are more like to ask for one in return.
• You show that you do not think you are perfect, which shows that you are a confident leader, not an arrogant one.

Asking for Help Builds Healthy Give-and-Take

After I have asked for help, I often go on to say, “Please feel free to ask me for help if you ever need anything.” Even if I don’t say that, people know they can ask me, because I have established a pattern of being helpful. And I think my efforts have helped build deeper relationships and greater organizational success.

An Experiment for You to Try . . .

Over the next few days, consciously take time to ask people for more help. Consider their reactions. And over time, evaluate how your relationships with those people have improved.

I’m not suggesting you ask for help just for the sake of asking for help, or just to make people feel good. When you do need help, however, don’t shy away from asking. People will appreciate you more. When you ask people for assistance, you demonstrate that you respect their expertise and effort. That will help create a stronger bond between you and those around you and build a much stronger organization.