Harvard Business School tell us that people who ask for help are seen as more, rather than less, competent. Professor Francesca Gino has found that most people think that asking for advice is best avoided because it’s inconsiderate or a bother. Also, people believe that others expect them to be more knowledgeable than they actually are.
I want Metis clients to understand that they pay me to be “bothered”! We want them to ask for HR advice sooner rather than later. I would far rather a client pick up the phone and bother me than jump in with both feet and create a situation. However well intentioned that may be, it would involve back-tracking and unravelling. I like to think that the time we spend speaking to one another helps us develop an understanding of our clients. It makes a meaningful connection. The more we interact with our clients, the more we get to know you and your business. Also the more meaningful the connection becomes between professional HR Consultant and client. It’s this level of commitment and support for a client that changes the dynamic and reassures them to ask for HR advice sooner rather than later.
Battling on, rather than seeking timely help can be a costly strategy. Just because you run a business, does not mean that you have to be an expert in all aspects of running a business. I am a HR Consultant. We engage an accountant to give me advice about my accounts. An IT company make sure my IT works and I engage a garage to service my car. I don’t try to do it all myself otherwise I’d fall foul of HMRC. My IT would only work sporadically and I dare say my car would not be at all reliable!
As a business owner you would be wise to be “an expert” in your business sector, that is what will make you succeed. Metis HR does not expect you to be an expert in HR. If you were why would you need us? We expect you to be passionate about your business and passionate about what happens in your business and we expect you to want quick, commercially advice that is provided in your best interests. We’re really proud of the feedback from one of our clients who said “You make complicated stuff simple”. We take pride in being our clients’ “trusted adviser”.
Ask and Bother
So please, keep on “bothering” us! Ask for HR advice sooner rather than later, because it will save you a lot of pain and sleepless nights in the long run!
Metis HR is a professional HR Consultancy based in the North West of England supporting clients across the country. We specialise in providing outsourced HR services to small and medium-sized businesses. Call us now on 01706 565332 to discuss how we may help you.
