Asking for help is never easy. You don’t want to bother your co-workers, and you may be concerned that you’re asking an obvious question. At best, you’re making yourself vulnerable to judgment, and at worst you could wind up looking a little incompetent. There are steps you can take to avoid anxiety over these outcomes, though. First, do your homework. Confirm that the question is worth asking and that the answer isn’t already available somewhere you can access. Think about three concentric circles: There’s the information you know, the information you don’t know but could easily find out for yourself, and the information you don’t know and can’t easily learn on your own. If your question falls in that outermost circle, it’s time to ask for help. But who you ask and when you ask is just as important as what you ask. Consider who has the most expertise on the subject you’re asking about and when asking them would be the least troublesome for them. Finally, when you ask, show that you’ve exhausted the resources available and when help is offered, be sure to show your gratitude.