Making The Ask Easier

[Written for the workplace, but useful for all.]

This article focuses on our Research step. Read the previous workplace article, “What The Ears and Eyes Capture,”for State The Obvious content.

Do you know the feeling when you want to ask someone to do something but you are afraid they will say no? Maybe you are their leader, so you know they will say yes because they have to do it, but you want them to say yes because they want to do it. Well, we have good news for you.

Though only 16% of employees feel connected and engaged, all hope is not lost. There are definitely ways to INgage your teams to where they feel connected. These tools will not only make your workplace come alive, they will make every ask easier. Though our consultations are tailored to your specific circumstances, these two bits of wisdom are helpful across the board.

Making the ask is much easier when you know who you are asking.

Remember, this is about INgagement, not efficiency. It is easy to pull the boss card and expect someone to complete tasks. But it is completely different to foster a culture where the staff wants to do things for their leaders. Getting to know your staff opens the door to so many possibilities.

Take your friends or family for example. You now them. There is some level of trust there. So it is easier to ask one of them to borrow their vehicle, versus someone you barely know. I am not saying they will let you borrow it, but the ask is easier still. Now, we will not ask our teams to borrow their cars (maybe we will), but I think you get where I am coming from.

Investing time into establishing relationships with your team members communicates that you care about more than just the bottom line. Simple group or one-on-one meetings will teach you so much more about the people that you work with. Knowing your staff not only makes the ask easier, it also helps you know who to ask.

When you begin to discover more about your staff, you will notice what differentiates them from one another. You will realize that she is better at this than he is. You may also become aware that he has a knack for this or that. Learning these things is so valuable, and we can teach you more in our Team INstinct consultations.

Making the ask is much easier when the recipient knows who is asking.

What is more important than knowing our staff is them knowing us. It is unfair for them to share bits or bunches of their lives if we do not do the same. And it is not like we need to share the most intimate details of our lives. Simple likes and dislikes will suffice, but here is a little secret: The more you share, the more your team will be willing to share. And the more they share, the more potential to positively improve the culture of your workplace.

What can you share about your career path, failures, successes, upbringing, favorite foods, hobbies, movie preferences? How can you bring your staff into your world a little bit? Are you willing to bring them behind the scenes? As you embrace this journey, maybe you will learn that they have something to contribute to your decision making processes.

During both of these opportunities, learning about them and vice versa, take mental notes to jot down or type up later. Refer to this information as you strengthen your workplace relationships further. I hope these bits of advice are helpful. Try them out and let me know the outcomes in the comments.

Until next time…