Rethink Asking for Help: It’s Not a Weakness, It’s a Strategy
Let’s get one thing straight: experienced inside salespeople are fiercely independent. You take pride in figuring things out, solving problems on your own, and charging ahead without hand-holding. And honestly? That’s part of what makes you great.
But here’s the flip side: your self-sufficiency might be silently slowing you down.
A few weeks ago, I was teaching a class full of veteran reps; 3+ years at the same company, lifelong learners, the kind of people others should be going to for guidance. And yet, when one participant mentioned wanting to mentor more, she added, “But no one asks me for help.”
Turns out, they do… just casually, in the hallway or over coffee. Not directly. And she took that to mean her insight wasn’t valuable.
So I asked the group,
“How many of you actively asked someone for help last week?”
Zero hands. Not one.
The reasons were familiar:
- “I don’t want to be a bother.”
- “I figured it out on my own.”
- “I don’t want to look high-maintenance.”
But when I flipped the question:
“Did you get help last week?”
Every hand went up.
From who? Someone walking by. A buddy at lunch. A hallway chat.
So let’s be honest: you’re already asking for help. You’re just doing it passively, waiting until you’re frustrated or stuck. By then, even great advice can feel like a jab, not a boost.
Here’s the rally cry: Stop waiting until step 7 on the 5-step frustration scale. Ask for help at step 3.
Why? Because collaboration works best before we hit the wall. That’s when our brains are still curious, creative, and open. That’s when help actually helps.
Need a rule of thumb? If you’ve been stuck longer than 5 minutes, say something. Ask a peer. Pull someone in. You might shortcut a roadblock or find a smarter way forward.
Asking for help doesn’t make you less independent. It makes you smarter, faster, and a better teammate.
Because guess what? We all need a little help today, even the pros.