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The latest assertions on how we can bend workplace culture toward greater creativity and innovation.

2 Reasons Others Aren’t Helping You

Andrew-Carnegie-no-great-leader-does-it-himselfAre you trying to get things done and feel like others aren’t helping you?

The image above quotes Andrew Carnegie’s claim,

No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.

But maybe you don’t want to do it yourself. Perhaps you are willing to share credit. You just need some assistance, support or sharing of the load.

For example, you may be working hard to improve things at work. You’re putting in the effort, logging the hours, making the hard decisions. The problem is it seems others are content with status quo.

Is that because you’re the last bastion of a solid work ethic and esprit de corps? Not likely.

So, why aren’t others helping you? Here are 2 reasons:

  1. They don’t know.
    • They don’t know what you’re doing. Maybe you’re so busy DOING, that you’re not COMMUNICATING what you’re working on.
    • They don’t know you need help. You seem self-sufficient and don’t delegate or ask for help.
    • They don’t know how to help. You haven’t showed where their skills can be applied to best help you.
  2. They don’t care.
    • They don’t understand why your work is important.
    • They have no extrinsic motivation to help you. (rewards, acknowledgement, etc.)
    • The corporate culture doesn’t encourage helping others.

Of course the issue could be laziness, a lack of character or a general spirit of apathy (unlike the systemic issues above). But why worry about that, since you have virtually no control in those scenarios? Also, that’s probably not the case. It’s more likely that by addressing the 2 factors above, you’d greatly improve the odds that someone will help you in your efforts.

Do you feel like others don’t care or don’t know to help you?

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