How To Say No At Work

One of the most common questions people at my workshops come to me with is “how do I say no?”.

Saying no doesn’t come easy to most of us and too often we end up agreeing to doing things that we don’t want to do simply because saying no makes us uncomfortable.

We’re afraid that by saying no we’ll be seen as difficult or unhelpful or possibly let people down, so we tend to blindly agree to things regardless of the pressure that it places us under.

By always saying yes, we are not valuing our time and are most likely setting ourselves up to fail.

Saying no is a skill that is essential to our success and happiness, the following tips will help you find the right strategy next time you want to say no – to your boss, to colleagues, employees or customers.

Manager

The idea of saying ‘no’ to a senior member of staff is likely to fill most of us with dread, but try to bear in mind that a key part of your manager’s role is to ensure that their team is happy and working productively.

If a manager asks you to take on an additional project or task, it is important that you are honest with them about your capacity. Explain to your manager that you would like to help, but you’re currently working on x, y and z. Offer to take on the additional project or task when you have capacity.

This response shows you’re still willing to take on the task, but are realistic about when it could be completed. It also allows your manager to see how you are effectively prioritising the projects you’ve been assigned.

Employees

As a manager there will be times you need to say ‘no’ to a member of your team. From rejecting new ideas, to having to turn down a request for leave or a raise, having to say no is part of the job.

By clearly explaining your thinking, the reasons behind the decision, and providing a way forward that benefits both yourself and your employee you can continue to build a positive relationship even after a rejected request. You want to make sure your team know that you want to work with them, not against them, and the best way to do this is through fostering employee understanding of the situation.

Colleagues

We’ve all been in a situation where a colleague has asked us to take on a task that’s not our responsibility. It may be because they need support, or that they’re possibly trying their luck at delegating a project they don’t want to do themselves.

If it’s the former option and you have the capacity, it may be a good idea to help your colleague out even if the task is not your responsibility as there will almost certainly be a time when your colleague can return the favour.

However, if you feel your co-worker is trying to take advantage of you then it’s important you push back.

A good way to do this is to simply say you’re too busy. Alternatively, you could explain that you don’t feel that you are best placed to undertake this task as it’s not where your skills and experience lie.

Clients

Telling a client ‘no’ can be particularly daunting, however, it can be essential at times, either because they are being unreasonable in their demands or they suggest following a strategy you know won’t be successful.

If a client asks you to action something you can’t or would advise against, it’s important that you first hear them out. Never make a client feel their request or suggestion is stupid, instead explain why you would take a different approach and how it would better serve them.

If the client is asking you to undertake work above and beyond what they are paying you for, then the best response is to be honest and say it’s outside the agreed scope of work, and explain that you would be happy to take it on (if you would), at an additional cost. This clearly sets client boundaries.

Saying ‘no’ in the workplace is never easy, but by following the above approaches you can successfully decline a task, request or idea without sounding unreasonable, incapable or rude. The word ‘no’ can actually be extremely empowering as it allows you to set and maintain necessary work boundaries with colleagues and clients, who will in turn respect you.