Ask For Help

Running a business is (and should be) a team sport. A few old sayings come to mind -"there is no 'I' in team" and "two heads are better than one".

No person can think of everything themselves, nor do they excel at everything. So why are so many leaders afraid to ask for help? Rather than dig into the psychology of why, the focus of this post is on the benefits of asking for help.

Strong leaders freely acknowledge that they don't have all the answers. They like collaborating with others. Brainstorming. Hypothesizing. Effective leaders also know that most people want to help!

Why ask for help?

• Builds trust with colleagues and key stakeholders

• Opportunity to engage upline leaders

• Taps into subject-matter expertise

• Feedback from stakeholders reduces risk and enables plans to be optimized

• Continuous learning and continuous improvement

• Reduces stress -- don't have to "go it alone"

Training horses can be a solitary activity -- most of the time it's just you and the horse. But to improve, it's critical to get help. Some people choose a full-time trainer. I learn best and fastest by riding my own horses every day, observing and doing things myself.

But I still seek help -- regularly. My approach is similar to what I do in business -- seek guidance from experts and from my peers.

• Haul my horse to a trainer weekly and ride under his direction -- this approach enabled me to learn how to compete in cattle events (something I had never done before).

• Attend group clinics with professionals -- this enables me to hear from other trainers and also observe and ride with peers.

• Share ideas and get advice from non-pro riders.

What surprised me the most? Riders who compete with each other are so willing to help! Most of us have experienced the same challenges and anxiety about training horses and competing.

We don't have to "go it alone".

My lifelong partnership and journey with horses is the inspiration for “Straight from the Horse’s Mouth”. Lessons from the stable to the workplace.

Tell us what you think! Is asking for help a sign of strength?