How to Know When to Ask for Help at Work- The Muse

How to Know When to Ask for Help at Work- The MuseHow to Know When to Ask for Help at WorkNavigating tricky workplace decisions can be often feel just as stressful as trying to coordinate a get-together with all your friends in one email chain. There are so many (conflicting) messages about how to be a professional. Be proactive, but also measured. Take initiative, but also collaborate. Just figure it out, but also, know what you dont know.Small wonder that sometimes we dont know whether we should charge forward on our own or ask for help. Thankfully, there are some guidelines you can follow to know when you should go it alone- and when you should reach out for support.1. If Youre Capable, But a Little Afraid- Go for ItSeize these moments A little konservenbchse of fear keeps you motivated and helps you learn. If youve been given an assignment or responsibility thatll stretch your abilities, but you have a pretty good idea of how to accomplish it, take it.Are you a web copywriter bei ng given a chance at crafting your first landing page? Take it on and learn about conversions, calls-to-action, and more. Are you an administrative professional whos been in involved with every company veranstaltung for months and are now being asked to run point? Say yes and add event planning skills to your resume.Professional challenges- like projects just a bit little outside of your comfort zone - can lead to new opportunities and knowledge. While its true that you dont want to commit to something you cant follow through on, if theres only a slight skills gap from having never done something before, challenge yourself to step up to the plate. After all, thats how youll learn.2. But if You Dont Understand the Project Parameters- Ask for HelpIf you flat-out do not understand what youre being asked to do, you should always ask for clarification. Its easy to feel pressure to project independence and competence. But if you say, Got it and head off with no clue what youve even been a ssigned, everyone will suffer in the end. Whether your boss left you a cryptic memo or a client meeting was full of more cliches than clear feedback, if you dont ask for clarification, your final efforts will disappoint. So, reach out sooner rather than later. Try calmly repeating back what you think you heard What Im hearing you say is that I should pull the new dataplatzdeckchen before next Friday. Is that correct? Then, let the other person correct you and clarify if necessary.3. If Resources Abound and You Can Teach Yourself- Go for ItSo youve been given an assignment youre not entirely sure about. Is it something plenty of people have done before? Have they written about it? If yes, then do your research. A task that seemed beyond the pale for you may suddenly become a lot clearer after some time watching instructional YouTube videos and reading a few in-depth blog posts. Before you tell your boss, But, Ive never written a business plan Google how to do it. Keep in mind, if you r manager is coming to you with a new task, its likely because theres no go-to person on the team and she thinks it could be a good fit for you. You owe it to yourself to at least explore if this could be your new thing. (Bonus Having an expert niche makes you more valuable.)4. But If You Dont Know How to Do it- Ask for HelpThis one gets a bit confusing, because you just read that if youre on the bubble as to whether or not something is within reach, youre supposed to stretch yourself and consult online resources. And if you think you could maybe do something, ask your boss if you can get back to him. Then, take some time to think through how you might approach it and see if some reading will answer your questions. If after that step, you feel like you could be involved in the project, but youll need guidance, ask for help Take advantage of the people around you who may have done similar projects before. Is there someone in another department who could give you pointers? Can any of your teammates or coworkers show you how to get started?Now, if a project falls on the other side of the spectrum (a.k.a., you know offhand just asking for help wont be enough), be honest with yourself- and your manager. If youve been asked to write a code in Python and you dont know the language, its not the right assignment for you. So, rather than accepting and plan to ask for loads of help, your best bet is to suggest someone else with more experience run point- and ask if you can play a supporting role or help in some other way.5. If Only You Can Do it- Go for ItIm the only one who can do it may sound like the classic refrain of the office martyr, but sometimes, its true You could quite literally be the only person in the office who can do the task, for whatever reason. These cases will come up, and sometimes you just have to set aside all the well-meaning advice about asking for help when youre overloaded and learning to delegate. If youre it for the project, because your team mates are out sick, stuck in meetings across town, or some key position on your team was vacated and has yet to be filled youll just have to rise to the occasion.There are two things to keep in mind in this situation. First, if you do nothing, therell be zero people working on the task- and one is always better than zero Second, once you pull off your impressive one-woman show, dont be overly humble. You deserve credit for stepping up and adding this project to your list. Make sure your boss knows youre going above and beyond. The workplace can feel full of shoulds. You should develop the right skills. You should be assertive. You should be humble. You should be engaged. You should be a team player. You should be a leader. You should ask for assistance. You should take initiative and do it yourself.Truth talk Theres no one-size-fits-all answer. But a little self-awareness and a heavy dose of common sense can usually point you in the right direction when youre unsure whether to charg e ahead independently or ask for help. Photo of co-workers courtesy of Clerkenwell/Getty Images.