Learn To Say No

Leaders are pulled in a hundred different directions every day.?

Some days it seems like everyone wants a piece of your time. Like everything is urgent. Like the list of tasks to complete and opportunities to pursue is endless.?

This is why the effective leader has honed a very specific skill: saying no.?

A good leader says no—respectfully but decisively—to many different types of things:?

• Jumping in on that meeting that they really don’t need to be in.?

• Getting involved in a project that will take them away from their real priorities.?

• The fellow manager who wants to “borrow” their employee—taking the employee away from mission-critical work.?

• The toxic customer who is making the team miserable.?

• The goal that seems like a good idea but that realistically won’t fit on the team’s plate.?

Of course, there are certain things you can’t say no to. An employee who wants one-on-one time with you is a good example—that’s your bread and butter as their manager.?

But there are tons of details, commitments, deadlines that you can say no to, and really should say no to if you want to deliver results.?

Be kind, be considerate—but don't feel guilty for protecting your and your team's time.?

Plus: this is great behavior to model for employees. They, too, should be saying no judiciously, only committing to what they can deliver, and staying laser-focused on the activities that bring real value.