The power of the ask: How a simple task gets you what you want

[Recently], I wrote one of my favorite posts thus far this year about how the “squeaky wheel” gets the grease and how that concepts applies to getting things done as an artist or for an artist.

Since then, two examples of how asking works entered my life I thought to share here:

I am a generous tipper when it comes to meals, but when it comes to delivery, if there is already a delivery fee built in from a restaurant, I typically shy away from giving more than a couple dollars to the driver. UBER culture made the concept of tips being included in the fare mainstream for app purchases.

I’ve taken that approach when it comes to Postmates as well, regardless of whether I should or not. In my defense, the delivery and service fees are substantial, but on the other side, I do understand the drivers are hustling and need the money.

The other night, the delivery driver had been so courteous to send me a text when he was leaving the restaurant with his exact ETA. Upon delivery, he mentioned tips would be greatly appreciated… And so I did give him a tip.

I had several delivery drivers perform similar gestures in the past, but whether right or wrong, he got tipped because he asked, plain and simple. Since he posed the question, I felt I could either give in or reject him, and I didn’t want to do the latter… So I gave him a tip.

Then, today, Seth Godin wrote a great piece about the varying definitions of hard work – It’s another example of the power of asking for solutions in order to delegate effectively and maximize time – Enjoy!

Consider two loading docks at small companies.

At the first, a tractor-trailer filled with heavy boxes shows up. The sole worker on the dock is tasked with unloading the trailer, asap.

He puts on his gloves and begins hauling the boxes, one at a time. He’s manhandling them off the truck and straining to stack them to the side. Eight hours later, he has a strained back, blisters and an empty truck. A day’s work, hard earned.

At the second dock, the sole worker looks at the truck and then heads next door, to the larger company and their foreman, a woman he met on the bus to work last week. “Can I borrow your hand truck and ramp for an hour?” It took guts to ask, he might have been rejected, but his calm manner and ability to connect worked.

An hour later, the truck is empty.

Who worked harder today?

For most of us, hard work is measured in insight, emotional effort, and connection. It’s been a long time since the economy fairly rewarded people based on brawn alone.

And now, consider the third company, where the person at the dock planned ahead and had everything ready as soon as the truck was scheduled to arrive…

Or consider the keyboard workers, one of whom does a repetitive task all day long, and the other who did the labor to find a plug-in or macro that would do it in a few minutes…

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.