The help dilemma

I see a bloke in the changing rooms at my gym. He suffers with an inflamed knee. One day we got talking and I asked if he was taking anything and he told me his doctor prescribed pain killers and rest. I asked if that was working and he said no. I suggested a natural alternative, free from damaging side effects, that has helped me and loads of other people with similar conditions and he looked at me as if I was daft.

A few months later I asked about his knee and he said ‘much the same and still on pain killers’. I have a packet of the natural stuff in my bag to give him the next time I see him.

Will he try it? I’m not sure, though probably not given our previous conversation. I am going to give it to him anyway as it only cost me sixty nine pence from Sainsburys, so nothing to lose.

Same in business – to help leaders and to practise my coaching and pilot new programmes I offer stuff for free. For whatever reason the take up is slow.

Reminds me of the old English proverb ‘you can lead a horse to water though you can’t make it drink’. Or maybe people just like to find their own way and get help when they ask for it.

So what do you think, offer when you know it may help and risk arousing their suspicion or wait till they ask?

For my part I am going to keep offering, it’s in my nature.