What is an assistance unit?

How do you recognize when others need assistance and respond with positive support to advance team or unit goals?

• Answer:

  You can recognize the need for assistance in two ways. First is looking at objective (fact-based) data or results of the individual. For example, if you set a deadline and the individual misses the deadline, that's fact base, they missed the deadline, so obviously they need assistance with... something. Second, be an observer. Observe body language and pay close attention to the individual's comments. If they show confusion or aggravation in their facial expressions, then there's something with which they are struggling. Pay attention to these non-verbal signs, they are as important as an individual saying "I don't understand or I'm struggling, or I need your help with this." There are two types of positive support you can provide to an individual without actually doing their job for them, 1) genuine words of encouragement, and 2) asking probing questions vs. providing them with answers to their questions, if they ask a question about how to solve a problem, ask "I don't know, what do you think?" This will show the individual that you not only value their input, but you trust them to make the right decsion. If their response isn't inline with the goal of the Team, then your job is to guide them, through additional questions, to the right answer. You have one primary job as the person managing the team or unit and that is.... to figuratively hold up the wall.