HOW TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT

Sometimes it’s hard to ask for what you really want, especially in business. You’ve got to think about how you’ll be perceived, if it’ll affect your job or make life more difficult for others.

The problem with this is work becomes a place where people aren’t comfortable to speak their mind. And this doesn’t set the tone for a positive environment. Often what we want aren’t big things. Like, knocking off work earlier one day or asking for help with a workload.

But we fear the ramifications if we ask. Though, it’s not always about the thing we’re asking for. Rather, a lack of self-awareness to go after what we want. Have you seen those people who pioneer a room? They know exactly what they want and won’t stand down. Not in a ‘it’s my way or the highway’ type of way, but they won’t accept anything less than what they want.

It comes back to self-awareness and having a clear understanding of how you come across to others. The way it’s communicated needs to be two-sided and not self-serving.

Like a lot of things in business, it comes back to your personality. Try our free questionnaire and use the information as a foundation to build upon. Once you spend some time working on your own awareness to go after what you want.

The best practices for seeking help 

There are a few methods to help you do this. Let’s go through a few of the things that have helped us.

Be courteous

Body language is important. Be respectful, use eye contact and watch your posture. Avoid crossing your arms because it comes across as though you’re not open and willing to compromise. Manners go a long way, too.

Offer help before asking for help

An offshoot of courtesy is to make sure the person on the receiving end knows that you want to help. Is there something you can offer them?

Do your homework

In other words, know as much as possible about the person, their workload and how you can support them. Do this before reaching out, so your approach doesn’t seem so random. Their response will be a lot warmer, trust me.

Be clear and direct

Don’t make the person being asked for help do any legwork. Be clear about what you are asking for or who you are looking to meet through this person. Follow up your conversation with an email outlining the main points so there’s no room for misunderstandings. Make life easy for them.

We all need to ask for help once in a while. Remember, the how is just as important as the what. Don’t forget the fundamentals of effective business communication. Take the time to plan an approach that’s friendly, mutually beneficial, and helping solve a problem. This will make your efforts more successful.

Try our free questionnaire today.