Kick-ass Career Guide for Women

Communicate your challenges and ask for help

Are you struggling with challenges that create roadblocks at work? Are there too many processes or perhaps unclear boundaries that slow you down from achieving your tasks?

Are there too many "thinkers" and not enough "doers" that slow down the decision making to get things done effectively?

Firstly, don't lose your cool. Put yourself in the other players' shoes and think about what's in it for them, and what struggles or challenges they are facing with convoluted processes and unclear boundaries.

Secondly, be honest and open with them about how you feel. If you feel they are not communicating with you, don't jump to conclusions as to why they aren't responsive. It could be that they are swamped with the burden of multiple tasks. It could be that they do not know how to deal with the challenge you share with them.

If they express any negativity, take a deeper look at why they express this sentiment. Perhaps they have been in the organization longer, or have had more battles of a similar nature, in which they cannot win alone. Listen beyond the words and hear their own struggles.

So, what can you do?

First of all, communicate with them. Communicate your willingness to collaborate with them. If they're across geographic regions, the physical distance shouldn't be a hindrance with today's technology. I highly recommend Skype for Business as a tool for communicating in teams across countries. It's more effective than emails in many cases.

The next step is collaborate. Be proactive and make the first move on working together as a team. Your intentions are good, so make the move. Take that leap forward.

I've dealt with these situations, and I'll give you an example of what I did.

After months of dealing with the above-mentioned challenges, I booked a meeting with my colleagues across three different offices, to meet at a central hub (an office that was most convenient for all to attend). My first step was to discuss the initiative to meet face-to-face, on a three-way Skype call. Thereafter, I reaffirmed the plan on email (confirming in writing).

The primary purpose of the meeting was to tackle communication and project challenges head on at the start, before the problems escalate. It is important to have foresight and plan ahead.

I still did not get a set confirmation on the meeting, until I used Microsoft Outlook to create a meeting request. In the inline text, I wrote the objective for the meeting, set an agenda, and invited the others to collaborate on the meeting.

Only after I sent the meeting request, I received the accepted requests from the other colleagues, and confirmation via word-of-mouth from those who would possibly attend the meeting.

At the meeting, I introduced myself to those I had not met face-to-face (but already engaged in digital communication), then explained my background, so they became familiar with me.

It is important to be down-to-earth and objective in the way we present ourselves. So much more gets resolved and the barriers are broken when we act as naturally as possible. There is no room for arrogance or haughtiness, which is very different from assertiveness.

Be assertive. Be assertive on what the common challenges are, and what the common goals are. Align and affiliate, because you are working in the same company, with a common ultimate goal.

Be prepared to answer the tough questions, and it is important to provide a solution to each challenge. Put your thinking cap on and come up with ideas for solutions, which plays a big role in collaboration. Go through the necessary steps to obtain your solution, and remember to make your objectives are: Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART).

This experience was worth it, because we achieved a greater understanding and appreciation for each other.

My colleagues and I are more open to cross-collaborate on the challenges, they are willing to step in and actively offer solutions. I also gained shared resources (staff) to free up some of my time so I can focus on the big picture tasks/projects.

In addition, we have set up regular weekly Skype meetings, which cuts down on the email trail.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Identifying a problem and asking for help early on when dealing with a challenge is a communication strength, not a weakness.

I'm not a guru, but I speak from my own experience.