NO

Questions for this week: How to say NO? How to Multitask during the call? How to measure how much time I saved? What is an example of a negotiation?

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I write this article based on the insight of my conversation with my team in our monthly 1-on-1 call. I speak with each one of my team members. This article is a compilation of a whole week's takeaway. You can subscribe to the?Building our Team?newsletter (1600+ subscribers)

How to say NO?

Here is a method to say NO to your lead, peers or client.?

The simple five steps are?

1) Create a tasks list in advance that you or your peer were not able to complete on time in the past

2) Write down the reasons for saying No to a task. You will already have it ready because you have completed step 1

3) Find alternative solutions for your situation and also write down your reasons

4) Email the thought process you wrote in steps 2 and 3 or update the ticket.?

5) Set up a Call and send your reasons, rationale and resolution to your lead, peers and clients.

We are using written communication to think through the situation, analyse the workable solutions and back them all with actual data. We are objectively resolving the conflict before it arises.?

Some types of tasks that may compel you to say NO are:-

1) Complexity?

2) High possibility of getting stuck?

3) Estimation went wrong

4) Unknown or Undecided Solution

5) High chances of not completing on time.?

Standard Solutions you can suggest:

1) Extra time

2) Ask for help

3) Find a simple alternative solution

You can collectively add to the above list and prepare a global team's common list.

How to Multitask during the call?

My recommendation is not to multitask at all.?

There could be situations when you may multitask during the call. Here are few?

1) Waiting for everyone to join the call

2) Topic not related to your responsibility

3) Someone struggling with talking due to lousy internet?

You may keep some no/less brain work on the side. Here are a few recommendations?

i) Logging time

ii) Updating tickets

iii) Reorganizing the day's priorities?

iv) Clicking some buttons for daily jobs?

v) Doing some manual copy-paste tasks

You should never do tasks that will take up your cognitive load. It will take your attention out of the meeting, and you may miss important points. You will make your peer repeat.?

Cognitive load tasks are planning, setting up rules, logic work, coding, reading, writing test cases, documentation etc. Avoid them.?

If you want to save time from the meeting, become a Time Police.

Responsibility of Time Police

a) Make sure everyone is sticking to the agenda of the meeting

b) Calling out if people are solving personal doubts and not useful for the larger group.?

c) Moving to the next topic if the team cannot decide.?

d) Asking if you are no longer needed or useful in the current conversation

e) Stoping the conservation when it gets over defensive or blame game.?

f) Applying a few basic meeting hygienes and improving them daily.?

You can gently tell the team, Can a Time Police speak? Someone will let you speak. Could you share your point and move forward?

You could end a 1-hour call within 45 minutes and avoid multitasking altogether.?

Each one of us is a Time Police.

How to measure how much time I saved?

A simple way to measure your time is to think it is money. When you are short of money, you count every penny. It is helpful to use this analogy because it makes it easier.?

So we will use the concept of budgeting to measure time. Back to the theory, time is allocation. You will start using your log sheet as a scheduling tool rather than a logging exercise.?

You can start small, like a day or a week.?

You estimated in chucks of 2 hours and have broken your work into smaller tasks already. I think you know how to prioritise it. Your schedule will have the allocated time for each task.?

Saved Time = Allocated Time - Actual Time

Isn't it similar to saving money? You have an allocated budget but find ways to get your desired goods in discounted amounts or get a good deal. You end up saving some money.?

What is an example of a negotiation?

Negotiation is a method by which an agreement is reached while avoiding arguments and disputes. Creating value in a negotiation is one of the most powerful skills you can add to your toolkit.

Here are a few examples of negotiation in time management.

1) Increase Time: Ask for more time in the beginning. Try to be 100% comfortable before you start the ticket or tasks. Don't take up the pressure of a tight deadline. Your task is to negotiate with the data-driven decision and share the unknowns, possible surprises, scope, complexity and lack of skills.?

2) Possible Solution: Could you negotiate a solution which you are more confident and accurate in delivering? The solution may not be perfect; however, it will take care of the situation. You will need client approval for this negotiation. It could mean using the existing feature for a new use or creating a new code. It could also mean increasing the budget/time from the client side to accommodate the changes.?

3) Push Back: The most challenging negotiation is saying no to a task. It means no to the lead or peer. It could also mean saying no to the client. It means you need strong reasons to demonstrate the risk, failure and lousy quality of delivery. It could put you on the back foot and show your vulnerable side. It can also mean being so strong to own one's inability to do certain work.?

4) Increasing Value: Asking the client to go to an advanced solution which is costlier and will create more value. It means hiring outside experts, researching advanced technology or trying 2-3 options within our team to measure the outcomes. It needs higher skills in Emotional Intelligence, Value Creation and Client Vision. Getting inside a client's head to design the future with them would be best.?

In most negotiations, clients' approval or involvement will be required.?

Can you share it with your colleague Today?