13 smart ways to tell your boss "No"
Sometimes it's the best option for you and society.
Anybodywants To say "no" to their boss, but sometimes it must be done for the love of mental health. Yes, it's technically your job to do what your boss tells you, but sometimes they do not realize that you have too much on your plate to take realistically more work - and in these cases you have to put your foot . And in other cases, it is quite likely that you know how to do your job pretty good to know that your boss is either microsestation incorrectly, or his action plan is not the wisest.
So, how can you say no without offending your boss (or find yourself in the HR office)? Before hitting Send your email or your Waltz in their office, make sure your message is firm but empathic and fully professional. And if you can, give your boss a suggestion in another way to get the job done because they will allow you to turn off and make you look like an effective problem solver. In the end, it is possible to say "no" politely and efficiently. Here's how. And for more advice on the workplace, learnExactly how to ask for an increase.
1 Give them a valid reason.
Do not just say to your boss you do not want to do something because you do not want to do it. Armed with a legitimate reason. For example: If your boss wants you to help to form a new employee, but you already have too much on your plate, please explain to them that you are already overwhelmed by (insert your massive task list to do here). Any good boss will understand that you can only be at once. If the new task is more important, they will probably push the deadlines for other missions to facilitate your workload.
2 Always offer alternative solutions.
Your boss will not appreciate if you simply tell them that it is wrong or that you are too busy to help you, without any other solution to the problem by hand. But what they will appreciate (and remember your next performance review), so you offer alternative suggestions and facilitate their lives exponentially.
An excellent example of it would be if your boss asked you to stay late on Friday-one Friday where you have already made plans. Instead of giving your boss a dishNopeTell him, that while you are busy that night, you are more than happy to enter a few hours on Saturday (or even on Monday morning) and help everything they need. You do not have to cancel your plans and that the work that needs to be done is always finished. Winner! And if you are overloaded to overcome, you are a problem for you, read onThe top 50 secrets of a perfect professional work balance.
3 Remember your boss of your existing workload.
If you have several bumps, they may not have consulted with each other to see what is already on your plate before you give you a new assignment. And unfortunately, should your bosses affect more than you can manage, the only person who will be sick at the end of the day is you. Therefore, it is up to you to keep all your highest ups in the loop, for fear of overwhelming you with missions that will not be carried out on time.
4 Show your gratitude.
Even when you say no, you should thank your boss just for considering you to take more work. It might seem weird, but asThe Humor AdvantageauthorMichael Kerr explained toInternal business community, Your boss does not offer you more work because they trust your abilities - and it deserves a certain recognition in itself.
5 Find someone else to do it.
When you discuss your boss with the news that you can not help them at the moment, she will soften the blow to add to this statement that you have found another qualified employee who has a little time to lend a hand. All good colleague will be happy to help as long as their schedule is not overbooked.
6 To be empathetic.
Refuse a request from the person who signs that your paycheck is a sensitive matter, always remember to recognize the importance of your boss's request before denying it. One way to go about it, it would write something like: "I understand that this is important and must be done in depth, but unfortunately, I do not have enough time on my schedule to give this assignment the attention it deserves. "
7 Buy some time.
Do not agree to do something simply because you are put on the spot. If your boss calls to see if you can handle something, but you are already in the middle of a long mission, explain that you are on a tight deadline and ask about approaching the subject later in the day. Then, when your head is clearer and you can solve the subject, you can explain that your plate is already too full and provides an alternative solution. And for more work solutions, do not miss the20 ways of genius make the work more fun.
8 Do not beat around the bush.
Let's face each other: all managers are not easy to manage. Some bosses simply see the work as the first and the only priority, which often leads a lot of long nights in the office. But how do you say your boss not when they ask you to spend another night working late?
If you are in this situation, it is better to be direct. You can not expect your boss to read your mind, and so unless you tell them that you do not want to work late late, they might even realize it's a problem for you (especially s 'They are themselves working). And if you are not sure if your boss is bonkers or not, you may want to familiarize yourself with the15 signs that your boss is a psychopath.
9 Recognize who is in charge.
Newsflash: It's not you. In your email or your response to your boss, make sure you include some iteration of words "I understand that in the end is your call". You have perfectly the right to say "no" in some scenarios, but you always want to make sure you do not fear your boss or engage in a kind of power struggle.
10 Finish the conversation firmly.
At the end of your email, write something in the sense of: "Thank you for understanding." As a managerSuzy Welchexplained toCNBCThis tactic is "incredibly effective" because it prevents any other return on the issue. The last thing you want to do is to leave Wiggle Room in your email for your boss to misinterpret your words and lift you to accept the assignment you are trying to say no. And for e-mail tags, you can use every day, do not miss the17 Genius email hacks that will improve your life.
11 Do not go personal.
When you talk to your boss to know why you are unable to manage their demand, make sure you keep a personal policy. All you say should be factual and related to work, and you should avoid carrying out your personal problems with your work or your boss in your answer. An example of whatnot To write: "I just do not want to do this project because it's under me and all my other colleagues do much more important things."
12 Set limits.
"If you do not want to be on call during weekends or public holidays, be clear at the beginning, where there is more room for maneuver and where it is black and white," expert in communication on communication on work placeDiane AmundsonRecountFast business. In this way, when your boss needs someone to work at Christmas, you will not be the first asked.
13 Read the atmosphere.
Do not tell your boss you are too busy taking another project when he is in a bad mood. If your boss is already scarcely anxious, your email could be the straw that breaks the back of the camel - and the last thing you want is to be an emissary goat for the closure of your boss's fury. Instead, just wait an hour or two so that your boss will cool before filing your request. At that time, your boss will be better prepared for a new news of bad news and will understand your difficulty situation. And for more ways to kill him in the workplace, do not miss the60 best productivity hacks of 60 seconds.
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