Consider this…
You have been asked to take over a project that was previously managed by someone who was so important in the company that they “don’t have time to work on this anymore.” (Did they leave any useful information behind? Probably not.)
The prof has said, “This is going to be one long assignment, people—don’t start this the day before it’s due!” (Profs do say this sometimes.)
You have two midterms, two assignments, three interviews, and maybe a project as the cherry on top due this week. (Yikes.)
The equipment you need to use in the lab is usable but in questionable condition. (Merely a euphemism for something that could be much more annoying.)
What do all of these situations have in common? Perhaps the brackets might lead you to cite stress and annoyance. Though this is undoubtedly true in these and many other scenarios in which students routinely find themselves in school and at work, there is a much more important piece of the puzzle…
In some capacity, a person in any these situations needs help. Now.
Humpty Dumpty Sat on the Wall, Humpty Dumpty had a Great Fall
For most of people, when they get in to Waterloo Engineering, they feel as though they have really accomplished something. Of course, this is justifiable, even true; certainly it is important to celebrate such an accomplishment. What this does not mean, however, is that is acceptable to inflate one’s ego to the point where Humpty Dumpty falls off the wall. Or anywhere close to it. Because depending on the situation, it can take a lot of work to put Humpty back together again. Seriously.
Let’s take the first scenario as an example. Here you are with an unfinished project about which you’ve been given little useful information. You may not even know how to use the tools you need to execute the project, but you’re expected to do it anyway. Many people (somewhat arrogantly) assume they can learn “as they go,” or all on their own. In some cases, where the tasks are simple enough and the person is motivated enough (both are required), this strategy can work; however, excessive frustration is also imminent in these situations. Pressure to complete tasks by a specific deadline doesn’t help either when you’re not sure of everything you’re doing. Venturing on your own in this way can lead to huge amounts of time and energy being wasted with little results. Worse, a swollen Humpty Dumpty can crash and burn when playing with new toys at the edge of the wall, potentially destroying his or her self-confidence in the process.
Staying firmly (and un-swollen) on the Wall…
So what should you do then? If possible, you should try to seek out the person who left the task, because they know the most about it. If it’s a “tool” issue, such as simply not knowing that particular programming language or never having used that saw before, try to find people who do have experience in these areas and can provide some direction. This will ultimately help you accomplish the task faster, even if it ends up being slower initially. Try to convey to your supervisor or group members that you will need more time. Ask them for direction as well.
Asking for help is not a bad thing. Most people would agree that it’s better not to rush and do quality work rather than trying to get things done quickly but not well.
Some people think asking for help makes them look dumb, or not-as-good-as that guy over there who started at the same time as you but appears to just know everything. That person over there is probably just doing a great job of looking like they know what they’re doing. For now, they may look better with the boss, but it’s critical to remember that it is the final product that matters at the end of the day. Ditto for the scenario where your classmate thinks they have the assignment in the bag, hasn’t actually started yet, but can somehow verbalize all of the answers. Wow, they must be one smart cookie! Oh please. When they put the answers on the paper in the time it takes them to “talk it out” you should be impressed. Not before.
As for you? You have no bloody clue how to solve the problems on the assignment. So you go see the TA. You attend office hours. You prepare your questions before you go. Sometimes the help helps, other times not so much. You ask other classmates. You work together to come up with answers in a timely fashion. This is ultimately how things move forward-not by turning your nose up and assuming you can do everything yourself!
Next Time…
Next time the roles may be reversed-time to dip into your empathy stores. Go look up the word “empathy” if you don’t know what this means… it will help you a lot. Help them out if you can. What have you got to lose? Time? Maybe. But what you gain in the long run, with most people will likely offset any “loss” the next time you find yourself on the edge of the wall.
The take home message? The smartest people ask for help when they need it—and help others when they can.
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