When it comes to getting everything done, we may be facing an uphill battle. And when the workload is too much, time is running out, and things begin to fall through the cracks, one of the absolute best things to do as a business owner is to ask for help. Sweet Surrender is not always easy to step back and realize the need, let alone ask someone. Below are four simple steps that you can take to help your business grow while keeping your own sanity.
Acknowledge the Need
Be on the constant lookout for red flags that you are in need of some assistance. Some things you may find while your superhero cape is at the dry cleaner and you can’t do it all yourself include:
- Missed meetings
- Broken commitment
- Sub-par delivery
- Inability to focus on one task at a time
- Difficulty sleeping
- Change in eating habit
- Not having time for personal life/self-care
- Frustration with workload
- Lack of know-how to complete tasks
While there are numerous signs that you may have too much on your plate or aren’t set up for success, these are just a few. Once you’ve identified you’re in a position where you do need to ask for help, the next step is knowing who to ask.
Find the Best Fit
To take this next step, it’s important to know what is holding you back from accomplishing the task and what needs to get done in order to deliver the desired results. It is also equally important to stay humble and know that the best of the best all need help. It’s not a sign of weakness, but rather that of strength. Finding the best fit requires you to not only know resources and people in your life who can help, but also what their workload and skill set looks like. If you’re looking for help with marketing, chances are, you’re not going to ask for help from your CPA. Have a list of your go-to people, and maybe have two to three people in mind in case your first option isn’t in a position to help. If you don’t have that list built just yet, consider asking your first option if they have anyone they could recommend to help you.
Know How to Ask
Think of this as a sale: you are selling someone on the idea of helping you. Keep in mind the “what’s in it for them” concept. This is why knowing your audience is crucial. To know why someone would be motivated to help you can give you the confidence and excitement to ask for help. In reality, asking for help is offering someone else the opportunity to be the hero, and isn’t that what many of us what deep down? We all want to help. But keep in mind that everyone’s time is valuable, so you can never expect someone to just drop everything and rush to your side. However, building relationships with people who you would help as often as possible can go a long way. When you know you have a supportive trusting relationship, it doesn’t take much of a “sale” to get help.
Return the Favor
At the end of the day, if you have a strong relationship with a teammate, a neighbor, or a network connection, you should never have to “owe” someone something. But it is a respectful expectation to be prepared to return the favor or to, at the very least, give a sincere and gracious response. This may look like you offering a service or something of value to them, taking them to coffee, or simply righting a handwritten thank you letter. Again, we can never expect someone to help us just because we ask, but when someone is able to help us, your appreciation should always be an expectation of yourself.
Author: Kyleigh Mazer, Business Coach in New Albany, IN.