Seeking Help Is A Strength, Not a Weakness – A Case For Seeking Help When The Going Is Tough

I saw this TED talk today and it resonated with me.

I feel this is relevant to the engineering community across Australia who I am regularly in touch with and hence I’ve shared it.

As to a background to this – I speak to a lot of engineers as part of a career counseling session I’m offering – presently on a complementary basis, to those who need it. It’s essentially my way of contributing something back to industry, during what I find to be unprecedented tough times for engineers particularly in certain industries and geographies across Australia. This complements a book I’ve written called WORK TRAP DILEMMA, again offered free, which is relevant to engineers. The book outlines the “chains” which hold engineers back into roles – essentially the chains which erode away at their self-esteem and then subsequently at their family and work life over a period of time. Chains which can be broken, through seeking help from others who can help.

During the consult it becomes obvious to me that there is a way to bring them out of this dilemma – yet few reach out for help.

Now there are a variety of “work dilemmas” individuals find themselves within.

It could be a lack of career direction they face and how to find it.

Or in becoming commoditized through following the same process in career transitioning as every man (or woman) and his / her dog are following (job boards & recruitment agents).

Or in not knowing who to approach as a guide / mentor and how to approach them.

Or in having imbibed various soft skill bad habits which hold them back which can be ironed out with the right help.

Or in not knowing how to cope with the politics they are bogged down in within the company they are chained to.

Or in not knowing the lay of the land, so not knowing which companies to target and how so as to stand out from the crowd.

Or, or, or …………………………………………………………

All aspects which can and have already been addressed by me with over eighty engineerswho’ve seen the light and already transitioned through.

Yet there are a whole bunch of individuals who I’ve had the consult with, who I could rescue and hence invite to the JOB GENIE PROGRAM I run, who have sat on the fence. It’s like help from a professional is not something they are used to. Yet when they get sick, they go to a doctor. When they need their car fixed, they go to a garage. When they need maintenance work on their house, they go to a specialist builder or a handyman. And I’m sure they realize, that in not maintaining the body (when one is sick physically or mentally) or the asset (the car or the house) these deplete or face a breakdown.

Yet they can’t see this happening with their career. Why is this?

Seeking help when it’s essential should be seen as a strength, not a weakness.

Those who’ve sought help and flown over the cuckoo’s nest are testimony to the fact that this can and is being done.

Get help, especially if the career you are in is chipping away at your mental health, self-esteem and future joy.

Life was meant to be enjoyed and if you are not enjoying your work-life you now have a choice.