Page 4 - The Leadership Line: July 2023

Four different ways to say no professionally.

Here are four different types of no– each having its specific place in the dialogue between you and your colleagues
or your work team leader. Learn the different ways in which you can use no and discover how an obligatory yes isn’t
your only option.

The “not yet” no
Many times, the yes/no dilemma can be resolved by negotiating a time shift. Nearly everything in our society—
including most work tasks– has defaulted to a deadline of “now.” But we forget that some things really aren’t needed
right this minute.

The provisional no
This is the next step in the learning-to-say-no process. Let the requester know what you can do for them and what
you can’t. For example, maybe you can give them the spreadsheet right away; but if they want an analysis, that will
have to wait.

The “here’s what happens if I say yes” no
Many times, the answer no has implications that the requester hasn’t considered. As the person receiving the
request, let the requester know what will happen if he or she demands an unreasonable request.

“I don’t have an answer right now, but let me get back to you”
This response can give you an opportunity to really evaluate your schedule and determine whether the benefits of
the project outweigh the time and energy required.

Decision-Making Outcome

Source: IABC World Conference 2023