In general, I think helping others in ‘knowledge’ areas benefits me too; sharpens up skills, and there are always things I learn through the process of fixing a new problem. That said, I may not offer my help to someone with a poor attitude. I like your point on swapping services; never really thought about that!

In general, I think helping others in ‘knowledge’ areas benefits me too; sharpens up skills, and there are always things I learn through the process of fixing a new problem. That said, I may not offer my help to someone with a poor attitude. I like your point on swapping services; never really thought about that!

@Dave – Hmmm … I need some wood work doing …

@Reztar – Heh, I have friends who get that too. One is a project manager for a major IT company, another does the same but for a bank so people think he is good at math

@Kate – Yeah and I think it is partly because the people doing the asking DID buy their computer as a hobby. It is like they think they bought an XBox and they are asking you over to play a game.

@Roger – As I said in my recent post, I think everyone has something to offer In my experience when someone asks for “help with homework” they really mean “do my homework while I bitch about it”

@Chuck – Yes it is the loud few who spoil it, most people are nice about asking for help and I realise it takes a lot of courage to ask for help in the first place

@Scott – Oh yeah, I know a cabling guy and not only do people expect him to wire up new offices, they expect him to do it with his employers tools and materials. So taking advantage AND risking him getting fired. Of course he says no to the latter but that just leads to them thinking he is ripping them off on costs!

@Jack – Heh, even worse is when you fix their PC and that’s all you see on it. Just a good job I don’t take my daughter when I have fixed peoples computers

@Mark – That has to be a pain!

@lucia – Heh, very true, and I love your solution My auntie did a lot of knitting and baking because she enjoyed it. To start out just for friends, the local hospital, family kids etc, but then people started hearing about it and asking, then demanding and she had to stop because all her time and spare money was going to it.

@Patricia – I do believe that often a change you would like to see in others begins with yourself, especially when what you want is a little respect.

@Shortshire – Never be afraid to give away ideas or solutions. While some people take and give no credit, there are enough people that are honest that it works out in your favor

@Bunk – Some people are just mean but I think they end up self destructing so we don’t have to worry about them too much

@Jen – Pay it forward kind of thing, yeah. I do believe what you put out into the world comes back to you. It might not always be obvious but it does seem to work.

@LAChick – Awkward situation! Yup, it is better all round when this stuff is clear from the get-go.

@Jack – There are leaches in all walks of life and if we let them it can spoil it for the rest of us so we just have to not let them

@Patricia – Sometimes it takes a request for help to realize you have something to give too A friend of my wife does ironing now as a living, who would have thought she could earn a wage doing something like that? But she is good at it and other people hate doing in – win-win

@Jen – Agreed. It is true you do get a lot out of giving, providing it is given freely and on your own terms. The feeling of being taken for a ride can be upsetting but if we are in control of the situation with clear boundaries I think the giver comes out ahead. I believe what you give is what you get returned, call it karma, God, nature, ying-yang, a balanced universe, Newton’s 3rd Law, whatever

@Dave – Hmmm … I need some wood work doing …

@Reztar – Heh, I have friends who get that too. One is a project manager for a major IT company, another does the same but for a bank so people think he is good at math

@Kate – Yeah and I think it is partly because the people doing the asking DID buy their computer as a hobby. It is like they think they bought an XBox and they are asking you over to play a game.

@Roger – As I said in my recent post, I think everyone has something to offer In my experience when someone asks for “help with homework” they really mean “do my homework while I bitch about it”

@Chuck – Yes it is the loud few who spoil it, most people are nice about asking for help and I realise it takes a lot of courage to ask for help in the first place

@Scott – Oh yeah, I know a cabling guy and not only do people expect him to wire up new offices, they expect him to do it with his employers tools and materials. So taking advantage AND risking him getting fired. Of course he says no to the latter but that just leads to them thinking he is ripping them off on costs!

@Jack – Heh, even worse is when you fix their PC and that’s all you see on it. Just a good job I don’t take my daughter when I have fixed peoples computers

@Mark – That has to be a pain!

@lucia – Heh, very true, and I love your solution My auntie did a lot of knitting and baking because she enjoyed it. To start out just for friends, the local hospital, family kids etc, but then people started hearing about it and asking, then demanding and she had to stop because all her time and spare money was going to it.

@Patricia – I do believe that often a change you would like to see in others begins with yourself, especially when what you want is a little respect.

@Shortshire – Never be afraid to give away ideas or solutions. While some people take and give no credit, there are enough people that are honest that it works out in your favor

@Bunk – Some people are just mean but I think they end up self destructing so we don’t have to worry about them too much

@Jen – Pay it forward kind of thing, yeah. I do believe what you put out into the world comes back to you. It might not always be obvious but it does seem to work.

@LAChick – Awkward situation! Yup, it is better all round when this stuff is clear from the get-go.

@Jack – There are leaches in all walks of life and if we let them it can spoil it for the rest of us so we just have to not let them

@Patricia – Sometimes it takes a request for help to realize you have something to give too A friend of my wife does ironing now as a living, who would have thought she could earn a wage doing something like that? But she is good at it and other people hate doing in – win-win

@Jen – Agreed. It is true you do get a lot out of giving, providing it is given freely and on your own terms. The feeling of being taken for a ride can be upsetting but if we are in control of the situation with clear boundaries I think the giver comes out ahead. I believe what you give is what you get returned, call it karma, God, nature, ying-yang, a balanced universe, Newton’s 3rd Law, whatever

This experience is from the other perspective.

An artist friend offered to help me out on a photo shoot for my website…she showed up with no equipment (none was required – she was just helping) but when we were deciding on how to take one of the shots she found a great angle and clicked off a few shots – one of which being the shot we decided to use. With no previous mention of her rates she sent me an invoice for $250. Next time I think I’ll say “oh no, thanks for the generous offer but I think we’ll be just fine.”

This experience is from the other perspective.

An artist friend offered to help me out on a photo shoot for my website…she showed up with no equipment (none was required – she was just helping) but when we were deciding on how to take one of the shots she found a great angle and clicked off a few shots – one of which being the shot we decided to use. With no previous mention of her rates she sent me an invoice for $250. Next time I think I’ll say “oh no, thanks for the generous offer but I think we’ll be just fine.”

I could agree with these words more than you know. One has to know when to draw the line both with customers and yourself. If anyone steps on you it is only because you have allowed the opening for it…..well in most cases. Sometimes there are just outright mean people out there looking to stir trouble simply because of their personality.

Great article!

I could agree with these words more than you know. One has to know when to draw the line both with customers and yourself. If anyone steps on you it is only because you have allowed the opening for it…..well in most cases. Sometimes there are just outright mean people out there looking to stir trouble simply because of their personality.

Great article!