The things you really want in life are often the most difficult to ask for. Best-selling author and speaker, ASK expert Laura Fredricks knows that, and she knows how to ask anyone for anything with comfort, confidence, and ease.
After raising more than $1 billion for nonprofits, businesses, and individuals, Fredricks has developed an approach that works for anyone making a hard ask for money *Asking for love *Asking for help *Asking for forgiveness *Asking for forgiveness *Asking for Spirituality. These are just a few of the Asks Fredricks will show you how to navigate, using her "5 Laws on Asking" and her never-fail simple and highly successful "ASK formula." She’ll also help you identify which type of asker you are and show you the advantages, challenges, and refinements with each type so that you can perfect your own asking style.
With a successful background in law and philanthropy--careers known for making the toughest and biggest asks, Fredricks has earned her reputation as the ASK Expert, the go-to person businesses and individuals turn to for guidance. Hard Asks Made Easy is a must for anyone, at any age including teenagers, who wants to ask and get exactly what they need and deserve.
There are some things in life that will always be difficult to ask for. Some things, even the most “simple” can be stressful or awkward. This author teaches you how to convey more effectively. I really enjoyed the what type of asker are you and the tools that are given to you to help understand yourself in a new light. I highly recommend this book to everyone who struggles to get a point across.
Book Review: Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want by Laura Fredricks
In her insightful guide, Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want, Laura Fredricks tackles a universal challenge: the art of asking. Often, we find ourselves grappling with the anxiety that comes with making significant requests—whether it’s asking for a promotion, negotiating a raise, or seeking support from loved ones. Fredricks, leveraging her extensive background in law and philanthropy, offers readers a structured approach to effectively navigate these difficult conversations.
A Structured Approach to Asking
One of the standout features of this book is Fredricks’ clear and organized framework for making “hard asks.” She emphasizes the importance of preparation and understanding the psychology behind both asking and receiving. Fredricks provides readers with practical tools and techniques to formulate their requests thoughtfully, reducing apprehension and increasing the likelihood of a positive outcome. The step-by-step methods laid out in the book empower readers to confront their fears and articulate their needs confidently.
Empathy and Connection
Fredricks places a strong emphasis on empathy, encouraging readers to consider the perspective of the person they are asking. This focus on connection enhances the effectiveness of the approach; understanding the motivations and potential concerns of others allows for more meaningful dialogue. By integrating empathy into the asking process, Fredricks helps demystify the often intimidating nature of these requests, making it easier for readers to engage in productive conversations.
Real-World Examples and Case Studies
One of the book’s strengths is the inclusion of real-world examples and case studies that illustrate the principles Fredricks discusses. These stories not only provide context but also inspire readers by showcasing successful outcomes from individuals who applied her techniques. The relatable anecdotes serve to reinforce the practical nature of her advice, making it easier for readers to envision themselves implementing these strategies in their own lives.
Encouragement and Motivation
Beyond the practical advice, Fredricks infuses her writing with encouragement and motivation, reminding readers that everyone faces challenges when it comes to asking for what they want. Her positive and affirming tone reassures readers that they are not alone in their struggles and that improvement is possible with practice. This motivational aspect is crucial, as it inspires confidence and resilience when approaching difficult situations.
Conclusion: A Valuable Resource
Hard Asks Made Easy is an essential read for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills and gain confidence in making significant requests. Laura Fredricks’ expertise and empathetic approach demystify the process of asking, equipping readers with the tools they need to achieve their goals. Whether you are a professional navigating the workplace or an individual seeking personal fulfillment, this book provides a practical and insightful roadmap to help you get exactly what you want. Highly recommended for those eager to transform their approach to asking and unlock new opportunities in their lives.
It’s difficult to ask for most things in life and I am in the field or business of asking- with every proposal I write, I know I am asking for something and hoping for everything. So adding this book to my Netgalley shelf was a definite yes-because I want to ask better questions, build relationships and get things done.
The three rules of asking: be prepared, be personal, be present.
There is a quiz on knowing which kind of person are you when asking and it’s easy statements to help you know what you lean towards the most and yours truly landed on “The Empathizer,” which means that when I ask, I internalize what I would think and feel if I were asked the same thing.
Laura Fredricks with a background in Law and Philanthropy shares her 5 laws of asking which are insightful. I will share the very first rule and look forward to you reading about the next four in detail in the book.
1.Know exactly what you want, with numbers and dates.
The number of times I’ve heard this at work, was enough for me to nod as I read because there is a huge difference in being very specific with data to back up any request or information and this ties in a lot with storytelling which is a key aspect in communication in my field of interest.
As she shares the five laws, Laura, encourages the reader to use them for daily asks and to also remember to reward yourself just for asking instead of focusing so much energy on getting a ‘yes,’ response.
For example:
What you need: To be heard
Not an ask: “I feel like every time I speak up, no one listens or understands what I am talking about.”
An ask: “I am about to share my top two ideas on this topic, I would appreciate it if you would let me know what you think about my two ideas right after I speak. Your feedback is invaluable.”
Some key take-aways from the book are:
(a). Every ask should be two sentences and one question: this will help you avoid over-asking or making it too confusing for the person to make a decision.
(b). When you ask for personal help, recognize, acknowledge and empathize with the person you are asking and explain why you need their help.
(c). Knowing some essential facts about the person or organization you are asking matters a lot, because it would determine what frame of mind or season of alignment they are in relation to what you need.
Above all, I found this book very easy to read-I started it last night and was done by this morning-pausing to take notes and revising some of my own questions. It is the kind of book that I would recommend in one’s quest to improve how they ask and the type of questions they ask.
An empowering and effective guide that equips readers with the tools and strategies to confidently achieve their goals. Hard Asks Made Easy by Laura Fredricks JD. Fredricks' expertise and practical advice make this book a valuable resource for anyone seeking to master the art of asking for what they want. One of the standout features of this book is Fredricks' ability to break down the complex process of making hard asks into clear and actionable steps. Her straightforward and approachable writing style creates a supportive learning environment, making the material accessible to readers of all backgrounds.
The book's content is comprehensive and relevant, covering a wide range of scenarios where asking plays a pivotal role in achieving success. From personal aspirations to professional endeavors, Fredricks provides valuable insights and proven techniques that are both versatile and adaptable. Moreover, "Hard Asks Made Easy" emphasizes the importance of building authentic and meaningful connections with others. Fredricks highlights the significance of understanding the needs and motivations of those you're asking from, creating a foundation for successful interactions.
The book is enriched with real-life examples and case studies that add practicality and credibility to the concepts discussed. Fredricks' storytelling brings the material to life, making it easier for readers to see themselves applying the strategies in their own lives.
One of the best and most impactful books I've read this year.
I think it's very hard to have a situation that is not covered somehow in this writing. If you have trouble asking for something, be it forgiveness or a large sum of money for your organization, there is an idea, a script or a formula for you.
This has been an alert reading, full of cases that I felt reading it was a tremendous enriching experience. I could call it a manual for asking, it is just so full of lessons.
My favorite thing about this book, apart from the joyful and personal tone, was the richness of scripts: possible sentences crafted for you to use or to have as a starting point for your hard asks, such valuable tools!
I received a copy of this in order to offer my personal view on it and I couldn't be any grateful. For me it's the kind of book I will come back to many times. I cannot recommend it enough for anyone who lost a night or had anxiety over asking someone for something they needed or wanted.
"Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want" by Laura Fredricks is a game-changing book that empowers readers to make difficult requests with confidence and ease. Drawing from her extensive experience in raising over $1 billion for nonprofits, businesses, and individuals, Fredricks provides a proven approach to tackling challenging asks. Whether it's asking for money, love, help, or forgiveness, Fredricks' 5 Laws on Asking and her never-fail ASK formula guides readers through the process. Additionally, the book helps readers identify their own asking style and offers insights into its advantages, challenges, and refinements. With a background in law and philanthropy, Fredricks is recognized as the go-to ASK expert. "Hard Asks Made Easy" is an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to master the art of asking and achieve the results they deserve. Highly recommended.
In her compelling book, "Hard Asks Made Easy," Laura Fredricks, a renowned best-selling author and speaker, provides invaluable insights on asking for the things we truly desire in life. Drawing from her experience in raising over $1 billion for nonprofits, businesses, and individuals, Fredricks presents a practical approach to asking for challenging requests with comfort, confidence, and ease. Whether it's asking for money, love, help, or forgiveness, she unveils her 5 Laws on Asking and her fail-proof ASK formula to guide readers through the process. Moreover, Fredricks helps readers understand their own asking style, its advantages, challenges, and how to refine it. With a background in law and philanthropy, Fredricks' expertise shines as she navigates the toughest asks. "Hard Asks Made Easy" is an essential resource for anyone seeking to master the art of effective asking and obtain what they truly need and deserve.
This book was a great find! "Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want" is a guidebook that delves into the psychology of asking, catering to individuals of all ages. I can truly say my life has changed for the better after reading this amazing book.
The book takes us on a journey to discover our own asking style, followed by the introduction of five fundamental principles, known as the 5 Laws on Asking. By following these laws, we are empowered to make our requests with confidence and achieve resounding success.
Overall, "Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want" promises to equip us readers with the necessary tools and insights to make effective requests and lead a more fulfilling and happier life, both personally and professionally. I highly recommend reading this incredible book!
Hard Asks Made Easy: How To Get Exactly What You Want, by Laura Fredricks, JD, answers the question: why is it so hard to ask for what we need? Well, Fredricks answers that question and gives us a whole lot more too. The author teaches us, for example, how to ask in a confident and comfortable manner. With Fredrick's "5 Laws On Asking" and her "Never-Fail Ask" formula, the author reminds readers that they still have the grit to ask directly for what they want. Throughout her book, she reminds and retrains us about how to negotiate effectively. And that builds confidence. We can now walk out of our restrictive comfort zones with assurance, and ask for that time off or that raise. Hard Asks Made Easy: How To Get Exactly What You Want, by Laura Fredricks, JD, is truly a five-star read. So helpful and encouraging to anyone who will take the time and read it.
"Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want" by Laura Fredricks offers practical strategies to enhance the ability to ask for money, love, help, and forgiveness, providing a structured approach and a clear framework for making difficult requests. The author presents the information in a personal and cheerful tone, providing practical tools that can be used as a starting point for one's own solicitations. This enriching read provides life lessons and was easy to read and comprehend. The storytelling style and empowering language make readers feel motivated and encouraged to apply the learned concepts and strategies in their daily lives. I highly recommend this book for those who wish to improve their communication and negotiation skills, offering a clear and transformative guide.
Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want by Laura Fredericks is a self-help book to help improve communication abilities. It can be hard to understand why we're so fearful of certain conversations, but often it's those conversations that will save us time, money, our souls, or possibly even lives. The examples given are asking for love, money, help, and forgiveness...using the ASK formula, Fredericks provides a clear way to communicate your needs to others well. Honestly, this is one of my biggest personal weaknesses, and I connected instantly with Fredericks' stories of people telling her how fearless they were in childhood, their fears that have stopped them from asking over time, and the reactions that they have actually received. I recommend this to any reader, to help improve their own personal communication skills.
“Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want” is a self-help book by Laura Fredricks. The book introduces readers into the psychology of asking; first identifying the kind of asker you are and then revealing her 5 laws on asking. It is shocking to realize how many simple questions we are afraid of making. This book really arises the readers' awareness that all of us can reach anything we want to and that all comes from our inner and deep selves. We are all strong human beings but we need to have confidence in ourselves to reach our best. This thought-provoking book truly boosts that feeling and inner strength. I think it is a useful guidebook every human being should read and enjoy.
This book surprised me a lot. I had not found anything similar until now and, from the moment I discovered it, I did not hesitate to read it. It was really a very successful decision since it has generated a before and after in the way of thinking about things and communicating. This book focuses on conveying clear and highly effective rules for asking difficult questions and requests to others. It is always uncomfortable to ask, but more when it comes to making difficult requests, such as money, help, time and dedication, etc. Its author, Laura Fredricks, is a professional with vast experience in these issues, she defines herself as an expert in ASK and she has really excelled in this book. It is very valuable and original content.
Hard Asks Made Easy by Laura Eredricks JD is an important read that provides guidance on the important aspect of asking and getting what one wants. The author with her years of experience and expertise provides strategies and tactics that facilitate asking for not just money also anything and everything ranging from love, help or forgiveness with ease. In this guide, there is specific 5 Laws on asking and her no fail ASK formula that guarantees success. I have been a kind of person that goes in tongue tie mode while asking for anything in life and Ms. Laura’s read has opened a new world and avenues for me. This book is easy to use and the author is straightforward with her words that make implementation in day-to-day life quicker. I highly recommend this for everyone.
Hard asks made easy is a book that helped me a lot. I'm a very self-sufficient person; I normally try my best to do stuff on my own without depending on anyone, and I've hit a wall more than once when asking for help was more than possible.
This book, written by Laura Fredricks, explores in detail how to ask for things without feeling needy or annoying to other people, cooperation is the reason why humans succeeded as a specie, amongst all others.
Definitely it's a recommended read for people who has trouble asking for help, resources, or basically anything. This book provides proven methods and examples that turned up to be really helpful to me.
Hard Asks Made Easy by author Laura Fredricks JD is an interesting reading that was particularly useful to me and from which I was able to take great advantage. Personally, it was very difficult for me to clearly ask for what I wanted (in any situation), without taking other people's expectations into account or without meeting the external demand. Through the proposed Five Laws of Asking, I was able to implement progressive changes that led me to get what I really wanted. This book offers helpful techniques and tools to make the hard asks and get what it is wanted and deserved. And this will be applicable to all fields of life!
This book proves that when asking something in a nice, approriate way, you will definitely get it. Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want by Laura Fredricks is very relevant. It's about understanding the psychology of asking. I am the person who doesn't usually ask if I could have it my way but through this book, I learned that it's not bad to ask at all. I found the strategies tackled here very useful and I loved the way it was delivered in such a way that it inspires. I also found myself agreeing to everything because the teachings aligned with my values. Over all, this was a great book to read and I learned something truly valuable.
Which ASKer are you? Negotiator, emphasizer, presenter, or charmer? Knowing how to ask for what you want and how to get it each time is important in life. In this book, the author presents us with her 5 step program on how to ask and receive what we want. She also gives us a quiz so we can figure out what type of ASKer we are and what our advantages and challenges are. This was an interesting book and I never considered the types of people who ask things and how they or even I approach this. It was enlightening to see what I was and how to improve for the future.
"Hard Asks Made Easy: How to Get Exactly What You Want" is an interesting book written by Laura Fredricks JD, in which the author brings us closer to her approach on how to ask for what we want. I found it very interesting to learn about the laws on Asking, I think they are very easy to apply. Many times, we can feel afraid and we can even feel indecisive when asking for something, but we have to take the initiative and the author brings us these tools so that we can use them without fear. I certainly recommend it to all readers who want to learn to master their fear of asking for something.
It's easy to get stressed about asking people for things - whether we need help or if we're asking for money or something else. In Hard Asks Made Easy the author shows with examples as well as descriptions that it really doesn't need to be difficult or something that we fret about. Fredericks was very clear in her writing about how to communicate what it is we are asking for, and showing how to make it simple enough. It doesn't matter if we know the other person intimately or not at all, or somewhere in between. The method is the same. I'm eager to try out the method and see just how easy it is.
As a woman who always worries about how I am perceived in the business world, this book really hit home. I’m always hesitant to ask for what I want. Not because I am afraid that the answer will be no, but what if my asking reflects poorly of me? Or what if what I am asking for could damage the relationship? So many good tips, and ways to help ease these internal questions are provided in this book. Thank you, GoodReads for this great read!
Incredibly practical. For those of us who struggle with asking for ... pretty much anything, then this is the book for you.
Things you might struggle to ask for include: a payrise, a favour, a promotion, a sale, a referral, an introduction, advice, working more from home...
The author does a stellar job of outlining the four types of askers (strengths, challenges, and ways to improve), the two devils of asking, the five steps for the ask. She also adds great examples so you can get a feel for how it might sound.
I liked this book, learned a few good ideas on how to be able to "get what you want". But I found it a bit confusing. She refers to the ways of asking for things as "asks". They used the word so much, it kinda confused me. Sometimes I wasn't sure if they were talking about asks, or if they where asking something? Laure Fredricks does have valuable information in her book. Hopefully, you won't have the problem I experienced.
Great practical advice for your personal and professional life. Tips throughout with real concrete examples of how to act in different scenarios. A great read with lots of takeaways. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.
Really valued the advice and structure! Very digestible and so enormously practical. Putting into practice and will use my daily journal to record observations. Thank you Laura!