Learn to say no without pissing anyone off or feeling guilty
Rachel Radway
Helping women leaders create the conditions they need to thrive | Certified professional coach | Speaker | Bestselling author, "Leading with Compassion" and "Perceptive" (June 2025)
Ever open up your calendar and see a game of Tetris?
And you wonder how it got that way… except, not really.
I feel you.
I spent years saying yes to all the things.?
Colleague needs help with an upcoming presentation? Sure, no problem, happy to help!
Team member needs to leave early and someone has to fill in? Got it covered!?
Boss moves a big deadline up a week to impress the board? We’ll make it happen.???
Project manager needs you in a pre-meeting before the project kickoff? ??
Ops lead now needs all OKRs finalized by tomorrow? Guess I’ll be working late tonight. Again.
At first, I told myself I was happy to do it. Then, that it was all part of the job. But I desperately wanted to be able to say no, and not worry about the consequences. The resentment grew and the stress—and sleepless nights—took a huge toll.??
Finally, I started asking myself questions. How can I say no and still help everyone else get what they want or need??
How can I turn this situation into a win-win?
We’re so programmed to think the answer has to be an absolute: Yes or no. One or the other. No nuance, no other options.
But there are almost always other options, plenty of nuance.?
And highly perceptive folks—empathetic, intuitive, creative, problem-solvers—are good at finding solutions. We just need to ask some questions before saying yes.
I just opened up a few spots for my short program, When to say yes and how to say no more effectively. In four one-hour sessions, we’ll create a custom framework you can use to get better outcomes for everyone.
Want to learn more? DM me or schedule a 15-minute discovery call.
#highlyperceptive #highsensoryperception #hsp #healthyboundaries #preventingburnout?#leadingwithempathy?#neurodiversityatwork
Lawyer + Professional Life Coach at Rachelle Marie Coaching & Consulting
8 个月Yikes! I feel like you’re looking at my calendar. It can be such a challenge to say no. This is such an invaluable tool.
Founders hire me to help build sustainable, human, customer-centric businesses with inclusive teams working excellently together, delivering consistently and reliably | Relieves Growing Pains of Scaling | Board Advisor
8 个月This is the superpower no-one really realises they need until it sometimes is too late. When I first started saying No at work, I thought the world would fall in. Turns out, people just change their question or go elsewhere. Most people don't mind a No or a "not right now" Since then, I embrace saying No, and it gets easier and people appreciate that you are honest. The first one is the hardest!
Purpose Driven Ventures | Positive Psychology and Smart Technology Advocate | Authentic Relationships & Innovative Solutions Catalyst JoyceVentures, LLC., iQuoteHero, Public Benefit Corporation
8 个月This is great! When we say "no," we create space for the things that truly matter. It's about prioritizing our energy, time, and resources for the projects, people, and opportunities that align with our deepest values and goals. By setting boundaries and being selective, we stop overcommitting and focus on what brings us joy and fulfillment. ??
Super??Connector | Ask For What You Want | Momentum Catalyst LLC | Relationship Building, Personal Development, Business Growth, Energy | Momentum Catalyst Mastermind for Tech Founders website link below ????
8 个月This topic is everything! Saying no is the most important, quick resource for us as humans. I learned to say “thank you for taking care of yourself,” when anyone says no to me! It has allowed me to see “NO” in a very different way!
Guiding You to a Toxin-Free, Sustainable, & Thriving Life | Green Living Mentor | Podcast Host | Retreat Leader
8 个月This is such a powerful topic. In the past I was way too quick to say yes to help whoever needed it, or even to set up a networking one on one. While I still don't do it every time, I'm getting much better at asking questions to make sure that the time is a good investment, especially this time of year when I've got a lot going on. Too many times I've attended something or did a 1-on-1 and thought, well, that's an hour or 90 minutes (etc.) that I'm not getting back. When we treat our time and energy as sacred, we make better choices. One of the best ways of doing that is to ask questions to be sure that it's a good use of our time.