Tip #32: Know When To Ask For Help
Today’s tip is a testament to the positive power of social media: shared by my social media muse (and yesterday’s guest awesomepreneur!) Kim Leamer Maleski on Facebook chat, inspired by a mutual strengths enthusiast and Gallup Facebook groupie Gavin Cargill, founder of Value the Person International. Over the last year, Facebook has become one of my favorite networking tools because of inspiring groups like Gallup, but as Kim’s tip suggests, I had plenty of help from a score of talented friends and gurus when learning how to use Facebook more effectively.
Shares Kim:
Identify your talents…and know when to ask for help. Don’t know how to use the latest technology? Find someone who can help.
Working from heart means that we recognize that:
1. We are not alone.
2. We are all in this together.
3. We each have unique talents.
4. Partnering with others makes each person shine even more.
That about sums it up. Asking for help is basic awesomepreneurship: when we open our eyes to our own talents–and limitations–accepting that that we are enhanced and made complete by the other members of our great human community, awesome things happen.
I think I should start a Kim Leamer Maleski wisdom Tumblr. What do you think?
Tip #32 for working with heart – know when to ask for help.
Don’t forget to enter the RKA ink Facebook Business Page giveaway contest on facebook.com/RKAink. Just click the “Contest!” tab, share your awesome tip for working with heart, and you could win a custom-designed Facebook business page from RKA ink.
experience
Love it! <3
I’d probably add a few more things when it comes to asking for help:
1. Know your why – Why does this matter to you? Why is this something to be valued? You may have to explain to someone the reason behind this venture. This can be quite useful in building up alliances at times.
2. Know how the help should come – Do you prefer getting 1:1 help through something, be part of a group or read tutorials in solitude? We each have different learning styles that is worth noting and acknowledging.
3. Know how the ask should be done – Is this asking a favor, making a trade, or some other kind of arrangement between people? Some people may offer some advice quite freely, others may prefer some form of compensation. Some may prefer direct requests and others may be OK with lots of ambiguity. If someone wanted me to give them a crash course on what can be done with Facebook, it could take me hours to go through all the different features and cool things that can be done. Thus it is worth considering what parameters do you have in mind in terms of time, money, people, and other stuff.
Therese and J.B. King! I appreciate you taking the time to
comment! Thank you!
J.B. I agree with the things you would add when asking for help.
When requesting help from a person, being specific about “why” you
came to them for the help can help to deepen your relationship with that person
and make each person feel they are of value to each other.
Knowing your learning style is also key…as an example, I downloaded the
manual for my new smartphone onto my desktop (instead of having my son put in
all my contacts for me). I need to struggle with it…”break
it”…then look up how to “fix it”…or I will never learn to
use it properly. I have to “try…break…read…and learn by doing”
when it comes to technology.
I whole-heartedly agree with your last point. Knowing how the ask should be
done is crucial to maintaining good heart-centered relationships. When I ask
for help, I am saying, “Hey, I have no idea what I am doing in this
particular area. This area is not a strength of mine.” I am allowing
myself to be vulnerable. But, when I ask for help I need to be very clear on
what I am asking for: a favor, a barter, or a hiring of talent. When I am
asking someone to share their talents with me, I need to honor their needs as
well.
So, the more specific I can be about the “help” needed and what
I am asking of them and come to agreement that honors both of our talents, the
better the chances are that the interaction will be satisfactory to both
parties.
Thanks for the thought-provoking comments!
Kim