When in Doubt- find the Helpers
The late Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers of television fame) once shared- "when I was a boy and saw scary things in the world, my mother would always say to me 'Look for the Helpers. You will always find people who are helping'".
I was reminded of this recently in a meeting when someone suggested we needed to find the "Yes People" to help solve a challenging problem we were facing. The "Yes People" are not to be confused with the "Yes Men/Women" that we often encounter-who are those that tend to always agree with the people in power- even if they don't believe in everything being put forward. They typically do this to gain perceived favor or power of their own, mistakenly believing they are being a good supporter, when in fact they are likely hurting the process when not challenging sub-optimal ideas.
"Yes People" are instead those who step forward to help when asked- or more times than not, proactively step up simply because they see a need. It's who they are- it's how they're wired. It's a state of mind, which for many comes quite naturally; but for others it's a learned behavior that when practiced enough, becomes a regular act. While it doesn't always need to be when it's scary, the "Yes People" and the “Helpers” are those you can count on in a pinch or when something important needs to be done.
At work as in life, you know who these people are; not because they are drawing attention to themselves with their words; but who are instead demonstrating it with their actions. Often times they are just showing up without even needing to be asked, because they simply saw a need and instinctively knew help was needed.
You will find these people at work, church, and in the community- and they are what I call the "A Team"- because you will gravitate toward them and pick them first every time you are selecting a team to ride with. However, from a leadership standpoint you also need to be careful with them as to not overuse or overwork them, because they will rarely say no to an important ask. They will do this sometimes at the expense of their personal health, family time, and other priorities. You often need to coach them to occasionally say no- and to push them to take time and care of themselves. Because much like the pre-flight instructions we hear prior to take-off; we need to put on our own oxygen masks first before we can begin helping others- and the same goes for the "Yes People" and "Helpers" of the world.
I'm grateful for all the "Yes People" and "Helpers" of the world who have said yes and answered the call when I've needed help- and I hope to return the favor and pay it forward when given the chance. The world is a better place because of you!