Ask vs Guess Culture in the Office
A new way of looking at interpersonal dynamics
You know when you ask someone for a favor, but it feels weird, especially if you barely know them? Or when someone asks for something in a light-hearted manner that’d be seriously cumbersome if you agreed to do it? Those feelings were summed up perfectly by keen observer Andrea Donderi way back in 2007. Her explanation of “ask culture versus guess culture” is a quick read that may just blow your mind and alter the way you relate to others.
In it, she describes two personality types that dominate our personal relationships. The first is an “Asker”; someone who frequently makes requests of others, regardless of how well they know them, knowing full well that they’ll often get a “no” in return. If you’ve ever felt put off by someone’s request for a favor, rebuked them, and got a cheerful “well, it never hurts to ask!” in reply, you’ve met a quintessential Asker.
The flip side is a “Guesser.” In guess culture... Read More.