| There's no doubt that there is a correlation between | | | | it was sent to me until I read the last sentence: "If you |
| those who make requests and those who have | | | | have any questions about this, ask Michael Lipp; he's in |
| power. And an equal correlation (surprisingly) between | | | | charge of this project." |
| those who are asked and those who have power. | | | | So, given this, how could you be trained to make |
| But - not surprisingly - most people have a difficult time | | | | requests? |
| making requests. | | | | I have a few suggestions to ease you into developing |
| It seems simple enough. Get or create permission to | | | | requesting as a habit. |
| ask a question or a favor and then go ahead and ask. | | | | First- Pick a request that is very easy to accept, for |
| The answer is either yes, no. It can also be a counter | | | | instance, "Can you lend me a dollar? I'll give it back |
| offer (yes, except or no, but) or 'come back later'. And | | | | after lunch. Or something like that. Make the request to |
| that's the game. | | | | someone who you know will say yes. |
| Well, there are all sorts of mind games that go into it: | | | | Make a similar request every day. You can up the |
| getting permission, separating a refusal from personal | | | | level of difficulty or the frequency (move to 2 a day...). |
| rejection, dealing with yes (most of us don't realize that | | | | Then introduce a request that someone can say no to. |
| when someone says yes, then the requestor has a | | | | Notice your response. |
| commitment to follow up, | | | | Second - This is the same, except backwards. Pick a |
| And there are many different forms of request - from | | | | request that is totally unreasonable, one that no one is |
| insistent requests (called, in marriages, 'nagging') to | | | | likely to accept. Make it of someone who you don't |
| very, very plaintive requests (pleading or begging.) In | | | | care whether or not he/she accepts, though you'll be |
| fact, there is a full scale of request types. | | | | delighted if it is unexpectedly accepted. "Will you take |
| I once had a boss who was incapable of requesting | | | | notes for me at this meeting? I can't go." |
| (because requests allow "no." But she was also | | | | Make a similarly unreasonable request every day. |
| inapable of making assignments. I realized this was a | | | | Then make a difficult request, though not absurd. |
| dilemma for her when I received an email that | | | | After a while you will be ready for real ones. |
| completely described a project, but I had no idea why | | | | |