In early experiments, people who were personally asked by a researcher to return their winnings ended up liking him more than those asked by an intermediary. A later study found the same direct-request pattern across Japanese and American participants. Helping without being asked had no effect.
Being asked signals that you value someone’s judgement. For leaders, a sincere request can build more connection than another round of praise. (The evidence comes from small samples, so treat it as a useful nudge rather than a law.)