What to Think About Before Asking for Help

 

We’ve all been there: you’re doing your work, get stuck, and need help — but you’re worried about bothering your coworkers or asking an obvious question. The first step to asking for help isn’t to ask — it’s to confirm if your question is worth asking. This means doing your homework. Is this something you could feasibly learn by yourself? If not, the next step is to identify the least disruptive way to gather the information you need from someone else. Ask yourself three questions: Who is the best person to ask? When is the right time? And where is the right place? Often, the ideal time will be when you’re already talking. So, if you’re meeting together, try asking, “Would you have a minute when we’re done to answer a few questions?” If you’re in touch via email or instant messenger, consider adding on your questions to an existing conversation. And don’t just make your request without context; you want the person to know you value their time so share the work you’ve done to help yourself before you decided to approach them. Finally, if they’re able to give you the answer you're looking for, have a system in place that will help you hold on to the information and access it later. You don't want to have to ask for help with the same issue twice.