Many of us avoid asking for advice, fearing it makes us seem weak or ignorant. But according to Harvard Researchers, the opposite is true.

The benefits of asking for advice

When you ask someone for their advice, you’re indirectly informing them they’re perceived as a trusted authority on the subject in question - particularly if you make it known: “Hi Jen, you’re always great at building rapport with our clients. I’m currently honing my client relation skills; could I get a few pointers?”

Humans love to empower others, and a request for advice affords us the opportunity.

By asking for advice, particularly in a group setting, you’re proving your courage to speak up for the sake of greater understanding, that your thirst for knowledge exceeds the need to protect your ego, and that you have ambition, drive and determination to self-improve.

The wrong ways to ask for advice

When you ask for advice from someone with no knowledge on the subject, you’re perceived as naive and inconsiderate in your approach to learning.

The same goes for advice that could sooner be Googled. If your question can easily be answered online, the recipient is more likely to find the question bothersome. Additionally, because the answer is easy to come by, you’re not reminding the recipient of their expertise by asking the question. There may be no such thing as a ‘stupid question’, but when it comes to ‘easy questions’, save them for Google.

And finally, requests for advice are looked down upon if you ask them at the wrong time. Elon Musk appreciates questions during a scheduled Q&A, but asking him the same question while he’s out at Dinner is more likely to annoy him. Asking your boss questions on how to improve your performance is appreciated during a 1:1 meeting, but asking them while they’re in the midst of creating a grueling report for corporate will piss them off. Read the room and time your requests for advice accordingly.