04/07/2026
Many highly capable leaders struggle with something surprisingly simple.
Asking for help.
I was speaking with a client last week who shared how uncomfortable it felt for her to ask for support.
There was a sense of guilt in it.
Like she should be able to carry it all.
And in many ways, the expectations today make that feeling understandable.
People are holding more than ever before.
Leadership roles.
Families.
Partnerships.
Boards.
Startups.
Communities.
And yet somewhere along the way many of us absorbed the idea that leadership means having the answers.
Being the steady one.
The capable one.
The one others rely on.
But something interesting happens the moment someone says:
โI could use another perspective here.โ
The pressure in the room softens.
The conversation opens.
New ideas appear.
Leadership doesnโt weaken in that moment.
It strengthens.
Because asking for help doesnโt just support us.
Often it supports the people around us too.
It gives someone else the opportunity to step in.
To learn something new.
To contribute in a meaningful way.
Sometimes it creates growth.
Sometimes it creates connection.
Sometimes it simply reminds everyone in the room that leadership was never meant to be carried alone.
Some of the best decisions Iโve seen leaders make began with a simple willingness to say:
โLetโs think about this together.โ
Because leadership isnโt about carrying every answer.
Itโs about creating the conditions where better thinking โ and sometimes new leadership โ can emerge.
