A Better Way to Offer Help
A Better Way to Offer Help
Aug 23
This struck me as a very good way to become effective in offering assistance to others. I know that my own coping mechanisms to stress are not often effective. When someone can offer a suggestion instead of questioning my stressors, I’m likely to recover more quickly, be better equipped to assess the cause of the stress or to tackle the challenge at hand, or to allow someone else to provide their gracious assistance.
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When Asking if YOU Can Be Helpful – Consider the situation: a friend states they’re in a bind. Your next move is to offer help (especially if you’re a grasshopper). But if you start with “Is there anything I can do to help?,” you’ve put the burden back on the stressed person. What about this instead: “I know you’re in a rough spot. I’d like to make a few calls, see if I can find you a fill-in for your employee who quit. Would that be helpful?”
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The difference is you offer a solution, then check that it’s okay with the person. You’re not asking them to expend more brain power. See?
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