A Culture of Help

It is often said that asking for help is a sign of strength, not a weakness.  Human nature, however, leads us to feel the opposite.  Asking for help triggers that inner voice of self-doubt, “I don’t know what I am talking about” or “will I lose respect from my peers because I couldn’t get the job done on my own?”, or “am I risking my job by asking for help?”. These negative thoughts can go on and on.  We’ve all been there.

But, let’s be clear about one thing – asking for help IS truly a sign of strength.  Asking means actively seeking for the answers that you provide.  It is a sure sign of personal growth.  In the competitive nature of selling, however, putting your ignorance out there can be especially intimidating. As salespeople, we all strive to be the top performer, and top performers already know everything that they need to know – right?

Wrong!  Top performers are always looking for ways to grow.  It is their curious nature that keeps them at the top because they are looking for new and innovative ways to improve themselves, their company, and perhaps most importantly, their clients.  Asking for help is really just asking good questions to gain an understanding of a task or situation.  

It took me a long time to understand this.  For years, when people generously offered me help, I resisted, saying, “No, I’ve got this”.  In reality, I needed the help and, because I was unable to ask for  or accept it, my performance and ultimately, my clients, suffered.  

At some point, when I reached that Eureka moment, finally understanding that asking for help was indeed a strength, I never looked back.  Now, I actively look for help, and offer it when a peer might be struggling.

At an outsourced sales firm like Acquirent, with a variety of clients in different industries, each team brings a unique skill set to the table.  Operating from an open office setup like ours, makes it easy to approach any team member and ask for help when you’re stuck on an issue.  This collaborative work style builds camaraderie and trust amongst co-workers. And when all of that is working together, the sky’s the limit. Everyone growing translates to the ultimate goal: clients growing.  

Sales is, in its truest form, all about helping.  As sales people, our job is to help clients solve problems with our products or services.  After all, “Help me understand…” is a key phrase for any sales person.  

So…help me understand why you aren’t helping yourself by asking for help.