How to say no at work

Taking on more work than you can manage is called “work overcommitment”, and sometimes perfectionism and a fear of judgment make us do it.

“Somewhere along the way, ‘yes’ got wired into the KPI DNA of how we work: we smile, we nod, we add it to the pile. Saying no at work has come to feel like the career equivalent of kicking a puppy, so we lace up and kick ourselves instead,” says Penelope Meniere, national marketing manager at Workshop17. She advises:

• When saying no, be clear, direct and brief — lengthy explanations can sound like you are open to negotiating;
• If you can, offer an alternative such as postponing the project or suggesting a colleague with more capacity;
• Not every request is an instruction, so take time to check your calendar and workload before responding;
• Stand your ground if you are pushed, and then maintain your position; and
• Saying no is not about rejecting all work; opportunities to grow sometimes start as jobs outside your job description, so learn how to tell the difference between an opportunity and somebody else’s poor planning.

Business Times