The Secret to Getting What You Want? Ask For Help!

By Ellen Lubin-Sherman on March 15, 2012

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It’s the Achilles’ heel of many modern mothers: They are determined to do it all. They wake up at five a.m. to check their email so they’re ready for the day; they puree organic peas for their baby’s food; they use cloth instead of paper napkins so the dinner table looks chic; they iron their pillowcases; they volunteer for Brownies, Cub Scouts, Class Mother; they want to make partner…you’re starting to get the picture, right?

And here’s the killer: These smart and sophisticated moms are furious when other people seem to stand by and do nothing. Do they really think people can read their minds? Here’s how fabulous modern mothers get things done - they ask for help.

It’s not easy to ask for help, especially when you’re proud of your independence and competence but it’s necessary, especially if you’re constantly setting challenging goals. You see, fabulous people are not arrogant. They recognize their limitations and they don’t worry about what they can’t do. Instead, they concentrate their energies on what they do best and ask someone else to help them close the gap.

Raising a family in addition to working, volunteering or steering a committee is not easy. It requires the kind of multi-tasking that most CEOs cannot master. But most CEOs don’t do everything - they have their staff. Guess what? So do you, Modern Mom. You have friends and colleagues - supporters and cheerleaders - who are willing to roll up their sleeves and jump in when you need additional support. If they’re fabulous people, they’re not keeping score. They’re not worried about how many favors you’ve done for them... the only thing that matters is making sure you’ve got the balance and peace of mind to move forward with confidence.

Remember, no one climbs Mt. Everest alone. They have sherpas and schleppers to lug the baggage, tents, food, and maybe even the espresso machine. To get to the top you have to send up a flare and ask someone to take part in your dreams. And because you’re fabulous, you’re going to do it for them. Bravissima!

Ellen Lubin-Sherman got her start in business feeding gossip items to Liz Smith, the esteemed former gossip columnist at the New York Daily News. Those early days of name-dropping were the perfect foundation for her later work in cultivating and branding identities for some of the country’s most luxurious products. Ellen went to work for some of NYC’s top communications firms, advising top tier brands including The Gap, Perrier Water, and Martha Stewart. Today she uses that expertise to coach corporations and business leaders in the art of creating a polished presentation. She does this through LAUNCH, her coaching and consulting firm for business leaders and corporations who need to craft the visuals and the messages that will burnish their reputation as leaders and differentiate them in the marketplace. Today, in addition to executive coaching and consulting, Ellen is a sought-after speaker for companies and groups that are desperate to know how they can become fabulous.

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