July 2008
STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS—For many of us, the thought of asking someone for help or a favor—be it a colleague, friend, or stranger—is fraught with discomfort. We figure we’re imposing or tend to assume the person will say no, which could leave us embarrassed or humiliated.
But new research verifies the old adage, “Ask and you shall receive.” A series of studies reveals that people tend to grossly underestimate how likely others are to agree to requests for assistance.
“Our research should encourage people to ask for help and not assume that others are disinclined to comply,” says Frank Flynn, associate professor of organizational behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. “People are more willing to help than you think, and that can be important to know when you’re trying to get the resources you need to get a job done, when you’re trying to solicit funds, or what have you.”
Read more: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/research/flynn_ask.html
