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Ask HN: How often do you ask for help?

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Re: Ask HN: How often do you ask for help?

#11
I ask for help as often as I need to when I need to get something done. Of course I try to explore other avenues first wen possible.

But you will probably find that if someone is answering other peoples a lot of the time then they probably enjoy it. A lot of people really appreciate being able to give help and support others. Asking for help can be akin to giving a gift for them.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you ask for help?

#12
As long as you put in reasonable effort and ask at a good time (don't interrupt). For timing, messages are often very good, which is also why in my office, we often message to the person sitting right across us at the table.

If 4-5 people are asking the same person, at some point it probably is their role to sit around being asked.

If you're being paid, you're also costing the company money for every hour you spend on the problem. If someone else can answer it in 5 minutes and it takes you 2 hours to find it, it's a lot more polite to just ask.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you ask for help?

#15
post #14
post #13

Pretty much never. I hate asking for help, and will usually find the answer by myself.

How do you feel this affects your efficiency?

I am not sure, nor I'm sure I care very much about efficiency (in resolving problems) in the first place.

But I learn, take notes, and rarely make the same mistake/ask the same question twice.

Re: Ask HN: How often do you ask for help?

#16
1) Imagine that you're going to talk to your company's CEO and that therefore every second counts.

2) Prepare your question by summarizing your problem to its core and to then present with a few words all what you've tried so far to fix it and why all those attempts failed respectively what their relationships are.

3) Don't initially approach your potential SME (Subject Matter Expert) by asking generic questions like e.g. "do you have a minute?" or "sorry, I need your help" etc (s/he won't be able to prioritize your request as s/he got no infos about your issue's criticality) but by throwing at him/her directly your core summary, together with your criticality assessment of your problem in as few words as possible.

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