Just Ask

Great careers are built on a foundation of bold asks.

Asking is simple, yet it’s one of the most transformative tools we have. It’s not about entitlement or demanding—it’s about advocating for yourself with intention and clarity.

Recently, I spoke with a design leader who was feeling stuck—underutilized, underchallenged, and uncertain about her future. When I asked if she’d shared her ambitions for growth with her boss, she hesitated. It hadn’t crossed her mind.

So I gave her a nudge: ASK.

The other day, she shared the results with me. Her boss had not only listened but offered her a new opportunity—to lead not just design and research but the data team too. It’s a non-traditional expansion of scope, but it aligns with what the business can support and needs right now. I encouraged her to take on the challenge.

I’ve been guilty of not asking enough myself, often trusting that my work would speak for itself. Sometimes it did. But in hindsight, I’ve let many opportunities slip by. What I’ve learned is this: if you don’t ask, you’re giving others permission to assume you’re content where you are. People won’t know your ambitions unless you tell them. And even if the answer is “no,” that’s valuable data—you’ll know where you stand and what to do next.

Advocacy isn’t selfish; it’s necessary.

In the end, not asking is the only sure way to hear “no.”