What do you do if you are struggling with a task at Work or Uni?
Most of us I think would
immediately respond by saying we would ask another person for their advice. Recent
research (published in Scientific American MIND this week) suggests that in
practice, this often isn’t the case and that most of us wouldn’t dream of
asking another person. Fears about appearing incompetent by asking for help or
information are at the heart of the matter, the researchers found.
Yet the researchers found that this instinct to avoid
seeking advice is wrong. Here is why: when you ask for advice, people don’t think
less of you; for one, they feel flattered that you have sought them out. In
fact, in one study, participants who were asked for their advice rated the
person asking for advice as more competent in their work than
those participants who did not seek their advice.
When embarking upon
your first job after graduation or even in a part time or voluntary role as a
student, these research findings may give you confidence in seeking out the
advice of work colleagues.
Helen Jeffrey, UCLan Careers Adviser
