An Often Overlooked Key To Empowered Leadership

This month, as I work with clients, and meet new entrepreneurs and leaders in San Diego & Milwaukee, more themes continue to appear. One of those themes is that I really love being able to make a snowball one day and then smell the citrus trees blooming the next, but there’s also a professional theme emerging.

Asking for help is not always easy, especially when it applies directly to ourselves.

So many smart leaders seem hesitant to ask for help when they need it most because they attach some negative meaning to it, or view it as a sign of weakness. This could not be further from the truth. Let me illustrate with an example:

Imagine you are on your way to meet a potential donor or investor to ask for support for a project you are really excited about. Do you feel like a failure because you need to ask for help via financial support?  No, because you know that it asking for help is part of doing business.

When we ask for help in the context of working towards an exciting goal, we convey strength, intention, strategy… and people want to be a part of this success and purposeful effort!  And you know this already.

Now, imagine you are facing a challenge in your job. What is it?  A “difficult” board member, declining revenues, staff turnover, lack of work/life balance? – and you just don’t know what the best strategy would be, or feel a little overwhelmed, or frustrated, or triggered in an emotional way.

Do you ask for help?

Would asking for help undermine your positioning within the organization? Would you be perceived as weak, or lacking knowledge?   If you answered YES – I’d like you to consider the words of the late Jim Rohn, one of the world’s most respected modern day personal development pioneers and entrepreneurs:

“Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don’t go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won’t laugh at you.”

If you don’t bring your bucket in life, you won’t be open to receiving the incredible gifts that people can give you. You might miss out on that ONE piece of wisdom you need to get to the next level on that key project.

The clients that come to me and ask for help are some of the smartest people I’ve ever met. They are not choosing to hire me because they are weak, or because I will have all the answers, but they understand that my experience, perspective, and approach can help them see something they might miss, or guide them in a direction that they didn’t even think about.

If you would like to have a conversation to help you identify your best next moves, I invite you to hop on the phone with me for one of my complimentary strategy calls.

CLICK HERE to schedule your call.

I also want you to know I am taking my own advice and asking for help more often, and I’m so grateful for the referrals that colleagues have been sending my way. I’ve met with some incredible leaders and entrepreneurs, and I couldn’t continue to grow and have the impact I envision without your help.

With your success in mind,

Kathryn