Five Ways to Say No Without Jeopardizing Your Reputation at Work

You’re swamped. Your plate  is full. You are juggling as it is. Then your boss – or someone else at work – asks if you can take on another assignment. What do you do?

You know you should say ‘no’ to this one – but yuck…saying no is right up with your other least favorite things to do…like going to the dentist to get a cavity filled. Well, at least that’s the case for many people including a Globe and Mail reader who sent in a question to the Globe Career’s Ask an Expert Coach feature. 

New! On today’s Globe and Mail career site and in the paper edition:  Read what I wrote to this reader — “Five Ways to Say No Without Jeopardizing Your Reputation at Work”.

Sometimes saying ‘no’ is really saying yes — to being small; risking less than standard work; and more.

Reflect — what are you saying yes to when you shy away from the appropriate times to say ‘no’?

 What are your strategies, tactics, experiences with saying ‘no’ when it is appropriate?

Additional Resources:  See my Webinar/Workshop page on this blog for a listing of Webinars (free) — including: Are you Addicted to the Yes Habit? As well, a couple more articles related to how to learn to say no from Investment Executive. See Part I and Part II (Investment Executive, March 2012).

Here’s to a TGIM Work + Life.

Eileen

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Some Follow-up Resources (Manage Overwhelm)

UPDATE (DEC 2013):  if the topic of managing overwhelm is of interest to you – I just launched a new book called, Ease – Manage Overwhelm in Times of Crazy Busy. You can get it at most online book retailers. Read here for more!

 

During my Webinar this week (recording now available), I shared a lot of ideas related to managing our ‘overwhelm’. Learning to say ‘no’ when appropriate; practising focus and being mindful (not ‘mind full’!); and getting enough sleep. And a ton more. Here are a few resources as a follow-up. More to come….we’ll keep this conversation going for some time (in different shapes and sizes).

Tame Those Overwhelm Gremlins— an article I wrote for the Globe and Mail that summarizes some of the topics discussed on the webinar.

– Webinar (free): Are You Addicted to the Yes Habit

– Articles: IE interviewed me just a few weeks ago on this topic which resulted in two articles. “Learn to Say No – Part I” — and “The Proper Way to Say No — Part II”

–Book: Eat Well, Age Better, Live Strong – by Aileen Burford Mason : Aileen’s book delves into nutrients and the brain and deals with stress, fatigue, sleep issues and more. It’s hot off the press!

–Have You Done Your Ta Da List Yet? A past issue of my newsletter got all into this – lotsa stuff here!

-Mindfulness at Work: We talked about practising mindfulness at work. If you think mindfulness is too zen for you and only for buddists think again. Wendy Woods (disclosure – a friend) has written an interesting article  about meditating at work and managing overload.

And so much more….feel free to weigh in and send comments, tips, other resources. In the meantime, it’s Friday and I need to do my ‘ta da list’ to complete my week 🙂

To TGIM Work + Life –> and Personal, Professional and Organizational Wellbeing.

Eileen

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