5 Times It's Better to Say No

It’s almost always easier to say “yes” than “no” – in the short run. “Yes, it’s okay for you to treat me that way.” ‘Yes, I’ll stay late tonight and miss dinner again– after all my wife won’t say ‘no.’“ “Yes, it’s okay skip my workout.” “Yes, your work is fine” (even though it could be better). A close second to expectation violations , the inability to say “no” is one of the top sources of intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict in organizations.Misplaced yeses sabotage relationships, goals, and well-being. 5 Times It’s Better To Say “No”

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” -W. Clement StoneFinding the courage to say “no” to what’s wrong, is a powerful fuel for start to saying “yes” to what matters most.
  • Say “No” to Rude or Disrespectful Behavior Sure it’s easier to ignore the situation. After all, who needs more drama? But allowing a co-worker or boss to treat you with disrespect slowly undermines your confidence, and sends a clear message that you’re willing to accept that behavior from him or her and any casual observers. Say “yes” to civil treatment at work.
  • Say “No” to Time Wasters These come in the form of people or activities. Say “no” to stupid work that doesn’t propel your mission and goals. Say “no” to the guy who’s always hanging around your cube. Say “yes” to achieving your goals.
  • Say “No” to Your Boss’ Harebrained Idea Yes you can. Trust me, your boss will thank you for carefully putting on the brakes. Speak up. Read more on how to here . Say “yes” to doing what’s right.
  • Say “No” to Negative Self-Talk It’s easy to talk ourselves out of our own success. Say “yes” to positive thinking.
  • Say “No” to Scope Creep You’ve outlined the project and the deliverables, but the “just one more” requests keep getting tagged on, without renegotiated deadlines or compensation. It’s okay to say “No, I can’t do that right now, or under our current terms,” while saying “yes” to “I’d be happy to talk to you about that as phase 2.” Say “yes” to renegotiation.
  • Say “no” to respect your best yes. Say “no” with the confidence to do what’s right, and the humility to know what matters.Your turn. What advice do you have for saying no?