Latest / Enhance.training / When To Say No At Work and How To Say No (to the Boss and Others)

Transcript

When To Say No At Work and How To Say No (to the Boss and Others) · Enhance.training

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: When to say no at work is an important skill to learn, as is how to say no at work.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: And if you don't say no at work, then firstly you're going to be overworked, stressed, and unhappy.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, you'll have colleagues dumping their work on you.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Third, you'll let others down again and again.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: And fourth, you simply will not be able to do a good job.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: You'll have too much work to do and will be trying to do acceptable quality work rather than good or great work.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, this has bad implications for your career.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: And your problems will multiply if you go into the management ranks, struggling to say no.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Learning to say no at work is absolutely essential.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: To start with, most people worry about offending the other person, feel guilty or uncomfortable saying no.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: I certainly did.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Saying no is a very small letdown compared to not delivering a work or not doing your job well enough.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Learn to say no quickly.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: When to say no at work is important, and I'm taking you through five different scenarios when you should say no at work.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, when you're maxed out.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, when you're not the right person to do the work.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Thirdly, when doing the work will stop you delivering your own objectives or goals for work.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, when you can't deliver what's required.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: And fifth, when there is a big conflict with your values.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: And then I'll be taking you through how to say no at work, whether it's your manager, peers, or other stakeholders asking things of you.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: There are five examples of how to say no at work towards the end of the podcast, so do stick around for these.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Jess Coles and I've had a 25-year management career in corporates and household names through to SMEs.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Learning how to say no well is vital for you and for a successful career as a manager.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: Those individuals that struggle to say no will struggle to progress their careers.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: If you're new to this podcast, Enhanced.training shares business and people management expertise to help you improve your performance and that of your team and business.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: And do visit us at Enhance.training and take a look at the courses and resources for you to improve your management skills and the outcome your team delivers.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: Most managers expect their staff to say no at times.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: This is absolutely fine.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: When you do say no at work, be clear on your reasons and explain these reasons.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Nine times out of ten, the other person will respect you for saying no and will not think negatively about the situation.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: So the first reason for when to say no at work is when you are maxed out.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever someone asks you to do a task or project, think through what you currently have to do, when you expect you'll be able to deliver on each of the tasks and projects, and then estimate if you have any spare capacity.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Always give yourself some extra spare capacity because urgent tasks do routinely come up and you need to take these into account.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: If you're maxed out, if you have no or next to no ability to take on the new work and complete it successfully in the time frames required, while still delivering on everything you currently have to do, you must say no to the additional task or project.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: But what if the new task is deemed more important, you might ask?
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: You may have to negotiate with the person asking and those that you've already said yes to.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Set out your position by saying no and then negotiate.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: If you manage a team, then apply the same thought process of mentally planning out what needs to be done.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: You have to consider everyone in the team and the team as a whole rather than just you, which of course makes it a little bit more challenging.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: The second reason for when to say no at work is when you're not the right person.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: You have been asked to do a task or project and you are not the right person to do the work.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: There could be lots of reasons for this.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you don't have the right skills or experience to do a good enough job, or to do the task quickly enough.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, you're being asked to do someone else's work because they find it easier to ask you or because they're being lazy, for instance.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Third, you know a colleague or another team that is in a much better place to do the work instead of you.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: There are lots of reasons.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: If you are not the right person to do the work, then say so.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: The third reason for when to say no at work is when doing the work will stop you delivering your own work objectives or goals.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: We all have priorities.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: Our work priorities are usually set out formally as objectives to be achieved in a specific time frame.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: You have been set the objectives and goals because they are the most important projects or tasks to achieve for the team and the business.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Always keep these in mind and prioritize them.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: And you may well have personal aspirations tied into completing your official objectives, you know, such as gaining certain experience that will help you progress your career.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: If the task or project doesn't align with your objectives and goals, or worse conflicts with those objectives or prevents you from completing your official objectives, say no to the additional project or get your official objectives changed to reflect the new project if this is an option you are happy with.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: Taking this approach will also stop you getting pulled from pillar to post.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: The fourth reason of when to say no at work is when you can't deliver what is required.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: We all like to succeed at what we do at work.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: This helps our confidence and helps the team around us.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: When asked to do something new, think carefully if you can deliver what is required.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: What level of support and help will you need and will this be available?
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone has their own risk appetite and desire to learn.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: If you are not, say, 70% plus sure that you can deliver, then I would suggest you say no.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: You may not be able to deliver work even if you've done it before many times.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: There are a whole host of reasons for this.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: For example, any of the other reasons that we're covering today.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: If you have significant doubts, it is better to say no than to say yes.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: And if you take the fake it until you make it approach, then manage expectations carefully and set out what support you'll need and when to help you overcome uncertainties.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: Stack the odds in your favour so you can consistently deliver what you agree to.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: The fifth reason for when to say no at work is when there is a big conflict with your values.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: Our values on a personal level and at a business level are really important guardrails for our choices and actions.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: Our values are steady, constant, changing slowly over time, if at all.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: They make great and important reference points for us all.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: Know what values are important to you.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: If you're asked to do a project or task that is in strong conflict to important values for you or your team, then say no.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: You'll of course have to weigh up your personal comfort and happiness with the potential negative impacts on your job.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: So now we have gone through five common reasons for when to say no at work.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about how to say no at work, which is equally important.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever you say no at work to a request, irrespective of who you're saying no to, make the time to explain why you're saying no.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: If you just say no with no explanation, you'll quickly be perceived as a difficult, awkward person to deal with.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: As in a clear, reasonable explanation of why you're saying no transforms the perception of you in the other person's eyes to a considerate, sensible colleague.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: I mean if you say yes and then can't deliver, the other person can't make alternative arrangements ahead of their deadlines.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: Do this more than a few times and it won't be long before you develop an unreliable reputation.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: You are saying no because you can't deliver or are maxed out, etc., which allows the other person to make different arrangements that will see the task or project completed as needed.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: This helps the team.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: Saying no is useful and needed for good teamwork.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: Go a step further than just saying no, by helping them find a different person to do the actual work.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: People will love working with you if you do these sorts of steps.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: And as promised, some examples of how to say no at work.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, I'm very sorry, I can't take this project on because I have another three projects I haven't completed yet and I'm maxed out until the 23rd of the month.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, I don't think I'm the best person to help you with Project X because I don't have much experience with Facebook advertising campaigns.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: Can I suggest you speak to Jill who is much better placed to help you?
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: Third, the project you're outlining is not where I want to take my career.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: I have another two project offers which are much more aligned and I only have capacity to do one of these projects over the next month.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, I am worried that I have too little experience to have a realistic chance of delivering this project.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think you'd be better off asking someone with more experience in this area.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: If you have a strong support program in place, then I would love to go through that with you before deciding.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, I feel very strongly about the sustainability impact this project seems to have.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: Are you considering improving this area?
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: If not, I would not be happy leading the project and several other managers would be a better choice.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: All of these examples are saying no diplomatically and providing an explanation of why you are saying no without beating around the bush.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: Work out how you will say no clearly and definitely without offending the other person.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: Knowing when to say no at work improves with practice and experience.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: Some battles are well worth fighting, others much less so.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: Learn when to say no at work.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: And when you do decide to say no at work, then how you say no becomes important.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: Always explain why you're saying no.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: Be considerate of the other person's situation and feelings without being wishy-washy on your decision.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: Working out your style of saying no at work is a must, otherwise you'll continually let others down and yourself down at work.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: Continually letting others down at work is a bad place to be.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_00: Avoid it.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: To quickly recap, when to say no at work includes when you're maxed out, when you're not the right person, when doing the work will stop you delivering your own work objectives or goals, fourth, when you can't deliver what is required, and fifth, when there's a big conflict with your values.training and I'll get back to you.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, and I look forward to speaking to you again soon.