Episode 31: Being Afraid To Ask For What You Need - Our Biggest Barrier To Success

"The biggest barrier to success is not that others are unwilling to give but that we are afraid to ask.” - Adam Grant, NY Times bestselling author

I love it when, the most powerful ideas are the simplest. Find out how you can begin to master the one tool that stands between you and your success: the ability to ask for what you need to succeed and be happy. 

The Man Box culture teaches the value of self-reliance. 85% of Americans agree that “I would rather depend on myself than others.” But, as always, you can take things too far. If you don’t ask for advice, you may miss out on valuable opportunities. Failure to seek early treatment for depression and/or anxiety prolongs the length of the issue. And trying to do it all can lead to stress and burnout. 

Discover what keeps you from asking for what you need and how to get better at this invaluable skill.

Dr. Wayne E. Baker 

Wayne Baker is the author of the book All You Have To Do Is Ask, and the Robert P. Thome (“Toe-May”) Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Management & Organizations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He currently serves as Faculty Director of the Center for Positive Organizations. His teaching and research focus on social capital, social networks, generosity, positive organizational scholarship, and values. His management and leadership articles appear in venues such as Harvard Business Review, Chief Executive Magazine, and Sloan Management Review. He puts his knowledge into practice as a frequent guest speaker, management consultant, and as an advisor and board member of Give and Take Inc., developers of the Givitas collaborative technology platform. He has won various awards, including the Senior Faculty Research Award from the Ross School of Business and the Best Article Published in 2014 – 2016 from the American Sociological Association Section on Altruism, Morality, and Social Solidarity.