In a career that from the outside appears to zig and zag across journalism, law and philanthropy, Laura Fredricks saw a through line: asking questions and listening, really listening, to the answers. Laura went on to develop the ‘ask’ framework and has written seven books about it, with her latest - Hard Asks Made Easy - already a bestseller.
Laura has an amazing approach to hard asks, from the secret sauce of specificity to reframing an ask as giving someone an opportunity to help. In this conversation she shares her five laws of hard asks plus a simple formula for the moment of the ‘ask’. Hearing them is like a light suddenly turning on in that dark corner of our brain where we file away asking for help, a pay rise or promotion - anything at all! So, if you want to take the fear and embarrassment out of asking for things, I’m asking you to listen to this episode, right now…
Planning for uncertainty is the key to asking with confidence
Why you should listen: asking for help is a leadership strength
Leadership doesn’t happen in isolation
We explore leadership asks and answers
Listening with intent for what’s really important
Creating the conditions for the promotion and pay rise ask
Team dynamics and the timing of asks
Take action
Tip: Get Laura’s book, study it, implement it.
People Stuff tip: using archetypes to gain confidence in asking for help
About Laura Fredricks
Laura Fredricks is an author, speaker, and consultant who trains and coaches individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. Her latest book is the upcoming Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want. Through her previous six books, Fredricks has helped hundreds of global executives, industry trailblazers, marketing and communication leaders, boards, fundraisers, entrepreneurs, teenagers, artists, philanthropists, and everyday people achieve their best professional and personal lives possible. Since 2005, Fredricks also has taught at New York University School of Professional Studies.
Visit Laura’s website: laurafredericks.com
Key moments
Planet Human: The rebranding of Twitter [00:00:04]
Elon’s latest move and its potential implications for his business ventures.
Planet Zoë: Terra Blanca is back from the typesetter, so it's going to be put through its final proofreading process and then it will be available for pre-orders - pretty exciting! [00:01:15]
The importance of asking for help [00:02:19]
Introducing guest Laura Fredericks and her book "Hard Asks Made Easy," focusing on the challenges and benefits of asking for help.
The importance of asking for help [00:21:12]
Laura discusses the power of asking for help and shares examples of how asking for help can lead to positive outcomes.
The motivation behind writing the book [00:22:29]
Laura explains why she wrote the book and how it was inspired by the challenges people faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The formula for effective asking [00:25:09]
Laura shares the formula for making effective asks, which involves using two sentences and one question at the moment of asking.
The importance of asking for a promotion [00:31:07]
Laura discusses the steps to ask for a promotion, including finding the right time, giving reasons, and stating the desired title and salary increase.
Dealing with disappointment and revisiting the request [00:33:28]
Laura advises acknowledging disappointment, suggesting revisiting the request in three months, and not waiting a year for budget changes.
Responding to requests as leaders [00:34:53]
Leaders have three options: more information, yes, or no…
Fast Five: Quick Fire Question Round [00:36:39]
Using archetypes to gain confidence [00:43:05]
Zoë reads a section from People Stuff about using archetypes to gain confidence in asking for help.
👉🏼 Want to share your experience? Ask a question? Share a resource? Jump on our podcast Facebook page here.
About your host, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Zoë Routh is a leadership futurist, podcaster, and multiple award-winning author. She works with leaders and teams to navigate future horizons.
She has worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and the Boardroom jungles, Zoë is an adventurist! She facilitates strategy and culture sessions with audacious teams.
Zoë's fourth leadership book, People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems: An advanced handbook for leadership, won the Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards in 2020. Her fifth book is a near future science fiction dystopian novel, The Olympus Project.
Zoë is the producer of the Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking “What if…?” and sharing Big Ideas on the Future of Leadership.
Zoë is an outdoor adventurist and enjoys telemark skiing, has run six marathons, is a one-time belly-dancer, has survived cancer, and loves hiking in the high country. She is married to a gorgeous Aussie and is a self-confessed dark chocolate addict.