MAKING REQUESTS GRACIOUSLY
MAKING REQUESTS GRACIOUSLY
Much of my work focuses on encouraging people to acknowledge and harness the gifts and talents they already possess because I believe that kind of thinking leads to excellence and success. Part of acknowledging our strengths is making peace with our areas of weakness. This article teaches you how to graciously make requests of others in those situations where your own personal gifts, talents, time, money, etc. just aren’t enough to get the job done alone.
Sometimes we just can't do it all ourselves and many people have difficulty asking for help in certain areas. I say certain areas because there are some instances where we think nothing of making requests of others. We boldly walk up to the counter at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts and request our coffee exactly how we like it. We happily ask for substitutions or sauce on the side in restaurants and when our birthdays are imminent many of us even circulate lists of requested gifts including size and color specifications. Some might say these are quite different situations, but I disagree. Making requests of others is making requests of others no matter what the circumstances. Why should it be so much more difficult to ask a colleague or supervisor for help with a project or prioritizing than it is to ask the person serving us in a restaurant, a perfect stranger really, to cook our meal to our exact specifications? Is it the money? Is it that you are likely never to see that server again while you have to work with your colleague and supervisor again tomorrow? Sometimes we think making requests of others feels like weakness, or like too much exposure of our inner selves. In truth, making requests of others is a way to share ourselves and our lives. Think about it, when a friend asks you for a favor aren't you usually glad to be of assistance? With a few exceptions of people who tend to take advantage (and we've all known one or two of them), we tend to enjoy adding value to the lives of others. Flip that around to how others feel when we ask them for a favor. Our friends, family and colleagues most often are happy to assist us. You don't have to get overwhelmed doing it all yourself. Add value to others by asking them to help you. Give it a try!
Here are six tips to make making requests even easier:
1. Be specific. If you want help with a project, make suggestions of exactly what needs to be done. People want to be told.
2. Don't wait until the last minute. Be honest with yourself. If you are going to need help with a project, make your request in a timely fashion so as not to put undue stress on the person you are asking for help.
3. Be selective. Although it is perfectly fine to ask for help, it's not OK to take advantage of others. You don't want to get a reputation for putting your work onto others. Be honest about what you need help with and what you can do on your own.
4. Thank your helpers. Make sure you acknowledge the help you receive. Even though people are generally happy to help, they still appreciate a heart-felt thank you. If someone helps you with a particularly big project, a small thank you gift is also appropriate.
5. Be willing to reciprocate when appropriate.
6. Don’t take “no” personally. As much as it’s acceptable for you to ask for help, it’s also appropriate for the “askee” to say no to your request. Sometimes the person you ask is not in a position to do a favor. Don’t be discouraged. Ask someone else.
MAKING REQUESTS GRACIOUSLY - To learn more about this author, visit Ruth Hegarty's Website.
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"The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul." King Solomon
Much of my work focuses on encouraging people to acknowledge and harness the gifts and talents they already possess because I believe that kind of thinking leads to excellence and success. Part of acknowledging our strengths is making peace with our areas of weakness. This article teaches you how to graciously make requests of others in those situations where your own personal gifts, talents, time, money, etc. just aren’t enough to get the job done alone.
Sometimes we just can't do it all ourselves and many people have difficulty asking for help in certain areas. I say certain areas because there are some instances where we think nothing of making requests of others. We boldly walk up to the counter at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts and request our coffee exactly how we like it. We happily ask for substitutions or sauce on the side in restaurants and when our birthdays are imminent many of us even circulate lists of requested gifts including size and color specifications. Some might say these are quite different situations, but I disagree. Making requests of others is making requests of others no matter what the circumstances. Why should it be so much more difficult to ask a colleague or supervisor for help with a project or prioritizing than it is to ask the person serving us in a restaurant, a perfect stranger really, to cook our meal to our exact specifications? Is it the money? Is it that you are likely never to see that server again while you have to work with your colleague and supervisor again tomorrow? Sometimes we think making requests of others feels like weakness, or like too much exposure of our inner selves. In truth, making requests of others is a way to share ourselves and our lives. Think about it, when a friend asks you for a favor aren't you usually glad to be of assistance? With a few exceptions of people who tend to take advantage (and we've all known one or two of them), we tend to enjoy adding value to the lives of others. Flip that around to how others feel when we ask them for a favor. Our friends, family and colleagues most often are happy to assist us. You don't have to get overwhelmed doing it all yourself. Add value to others by asking them to help you. Give it a try!
Here are six tips to make making requests even easier:
1. Be specific. If you want help with a project, make suggestions of exactly what needs to be done. People want to be told.
2. Don't wait until the last minute. Be honest with yourself. If you are going to need help with a project, make your request in a timely fashion so as not to put undue stress on the person you are asking for help.
3. Be selective. Although it is perfectly fine to ask for help, it's not OK to take advantage of others. You don't want to get a reputation for putting your work onto others. Be honest about what you need help with and what you can do on your own.
4. Thank your helpers. Make sure you acknowledge the help you receive. Even though people are generally happy to help, they still appreciate a heart-felt thank you. If someone helps you with a particularly big project, a small thank you gift is also appropriate.
5. Be willing to reciprocate when appropriate.
6. Don’t take “no” personally. As much as it’s acceptable for you to ask for help, it’s also appropriate for the “askee” to say no to your request. Sometimes the person you ask is not in a position to do a favor. Don’t be discouraged. Ask someone else.
MAKING REQUESTS GRACIOUSLY - To learn more about this author, visit Ruth Hegarty's Website.
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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