In her October 30 “Calling the Game” video, Bobbie LaPorte is calling on YOU as a leader to be open to asking for help. When you acknowledge that you don’t have all the answers, you can solve complex problems faster—and create a ripple effect that builds capacity in the people around you.
How “Can You Please Help Me?” Demonstrates Contemporary Leadership in Today’s Changing World
Hi, this is Bobbie LaPorte, back with another week of “Calling the Game,” where I share my own experience and insights while giving you valuable tools you can use to call your own game…and plan the best moves for you and your team.
This week, I want to take a bit of a different approach to “Calling the Game.” I was inspired by an account I read recently from a very successful CEO who shared a hard-earned lesson on leading through challenging times. And that was using these five simple words:
“Can you please help me?”
You’re probably thinking – “but I’m a leader; I’m supposed to provide direction and guidance. I’ve made it to this position because I have experience and domain knowledge; I’ve demonstrated my leadership through the results and accomplishments I’ve delivered. I need to show up strong and confident for my team, particularly now when there are so many questions and so much at stake.”
That’s true – sort of. If you’ve been following my posts at all, you know that I believe that – in these times of continuing change and unrelenting uncertainty, no one person, team, or function in your organization has all the answers. The issues facing companies today are too complex for any one person to think they can solve on their own. You included.
Asking for help is not only necessary to deliver results, but as importantly, it builds capacity in the people around you, who learn that it is perfectly acceptable to ask for help, who lean in more to the issues you are facing, and who are able to accomplish more themselves.
The ripple effect of the response to your question- “Can you please help me?” demonstrates how contemporary leaders lead with vulnerability, humility, inclusiveness, gratitude, and balance.
That is the formula for leadership success in today’s changing world.
So the next time you are facing a challenging issue for which you have no ready answer, think about asking your team, peers, boss:
“Can you please help me?”
You might be surprised at how powerful and generative this simple phrase can be.
So, yes, I am “calling the game” this week by calling on you to acknowledge that asking for help is more than just okay; it’s often the first step in the path forward.
Okay, that’s it for this week’s “Calling the Game.” Hope this helps you gear up for a great week and navigate any curveballs that may come your way!