Be Better Employee: How to Say ‘No’ at Work

What is one of the hardest things to do when you are at work? It is not beating the deadline or facing a grumpy boss. It is actually saying no to someone. It becomes increasingly difficult when you are one of the better employees as you are expected to receive a lot of requests for help. I am (I think, at least) my boss’s favorite man, and, often I am called for resolving tight situations at work. Saying ‘No’ is real tough for me at times in front of every probing eyes.

I am not good at saying no either. Specially to my manager, I have serious trouble to say ‘No’. I mentioned before that this blog is my chronicle to learn things along with you. A lot of preparation went in to writing this article. I did search around 20 other related articles on net. And finally prepared an action plan for my use, which I thought can be helpful to you as well. Here’s the written synopsis.

Why It is difficult to say ‘No’?

People feel that when they say no, they are actually being rude, harsh, or cold. In turn the other person asking for would feel bad about it, and whatever relationship they are trying to build is down the drain.

But it is also important for you to learn how to say no. At the end of the day, you are chiefly responsible of your own decisions. If you cannot finish your own task because you are busy helping somebody else, it is your fault. You do not get promoted for being nice alone.

How do you exactly say “Sorry, can’t do that” to someone? Let me share some of my old tricks:

Practice saying ‘No’

I need to visualize myself talking to someone. I’d stand in front of the mirror and say no. Imagine a lot of different situation and you are saying no in all of them. Be extra careful to not become a naysayer. A ‘Yes’ is generally associated with a positive attitude.

But a ‘No’ is not always a negative attitude, saying ‘No’ to a thing is actually allowing you to say ‘Yes’ on something else.

Be gentle but firm in saying ‘No’

Remember what they say: it is not what you say but how you say it. Even the harshest words can sound melodious if you can simply say them with gentleness. It is the same thing when you are saying no. Make sure you can look at the person in the eye so he immediately gets the point but do not forget to smile.

Offer an alternative

Not all no’s remain as they are forever. Perhaps you can’t do it today but on another time. It can greatly help—in fact, it is a win-win situation—if you can provide other solutions. Perhaps you can tell your colleague, “I can’t do this right now, but if you can wait for 4 hours, I can definitely help you.” or “John is an expert on this topic, can you check it with him first?”

Do not take it too personally

Whether you like it or not, there will be people who will not be happy with your decision. I can no longer count with my fingers the many times someone gave me a cold shoulder for months simply because I could not give in to his request.

Keep in mind, however, that it is a natural reaction. There will also come a time when you’ll feel bad because someone says no to you. Just take things at a grain of salt. Soon, these people will realize you’ve made the right decision.

Avoid pretending you’re busy

Believe me, a lot of people make the mistake of pretending that they’re busy, so that no one would come to them anymore asking for help. Let me tell you, your colleagues aren’t blind. They know when you’re truly busy. It’s offensive to act as if you’re doing something when you’re definitely not; just because you don’t want to help anyone.

Sometimes, You don’t need to explain

Here’s another reason why you’re finding it hard to say no: you’re trying to look for an explanation. Perhaps you have one, but you aren’t sure if it’s something people will believe in.

Guess what, you don’t need to explain anything to anyone, unless it’s a matter of life and death (or crucial). For example, your boss demands why you can’t do project B just yet. Otherwise, you can simply say no—that’s it. If somebody asks, just let them know you can’t do it.

Understand yourself a lot better

Determine your limits. Know your strengths. Don’t try to be a hero by doing or helping out in a task you know you’re not good at. You’re only making things worse, and you’re wasting your time. Before you accept anything, ask yourself first, “Even if I have the time, is this something I can definitely do?”

Refer the person to somebody else

This can be related to the previous one. If you don’t know how to do it but knows someone who’s an expert in the field, then by all means refer your colleague to the latter. You’re not only keeping yourself productive by not doing any task that’s going to be difficult, but you’re also doing your colleague a huge favor.

Know why you’re saying sorry

The last thing you want to happen is for you to feel guilty or allow another to make you feel that way. That’s why you should know why you’ll be saying sorry in the first place. Normally, you say sorry because you just don’t have the time to accomplish the request.

It definitely takes a lot of courage to say no, especially if you’re at work. Corrections don’t happen overnight, so you have to be very patient. It took me around a year to get used to the idea. Nevertheless, once it’s embedded in your system, you’ll become more productive, wise, and actually a much better co-worker.