Today’s best managers know that employees may be reluctant to ask others for help. This is because employees will estimate the likelihood that someone will help them before they ask that person for help. If the employees don’t believe that help will be given, then they never ask for help in the first place. Employees tend to underestimate how much others are willing to help them, sometimes by as much as 50%. Today’s best managers work to reverse this trend, and establish a trusting environment where everyone is comfortable asking for help when they need it, and providing help to others when they can.
Source: Flynn, F. J., & Lake, V. K. B. 2008. If you need help, just ask: Underestimating compliance with direct requests for help. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 128-143.
