We’ve all heard expressions like, “it is what it is” and “what goes around comes around”. Old sayings can help us in our thinking and actions. They can also hurt us and others. Here are a couple of my least favorite sayings: “It never hurts to ask” or “Ask and you shall receive”. These sound reasonable. If I am a sales professional, it is important that I ask for the order when the time is right instead of continuing to talk about the features of my product or service. Many salespeople struggle with closing.
Now let’s look at the other side of the coin: Has anyone asked you for something and your first thought was, “What nerve!” We get offended when we feel we are getting played or manipulated. So when do we ask or not ask? If what we are about to ask is appropriate, built on trust, and leads to a win-win situation, asking can be a good thing. If our motive is not noble, we may want to hold back. Whatever saying or maxim we tend to live by, let’s make sure we apply them unselfishly and with noble motives. That works!
