Saying NO To Your Boss, Executive or Senior Stakeholder
NO!
Such a little word but for a lot of us it’s a brash and scary word that we don’t like to say, ESPECIALLY to those in higher positions such as a boss, a stakeholder or executive.?
Well, I’m sorry but you are going to have to put your “big person pants” on and start saying that little word more often!?
Why???
Because it’s important.
If YES is the only word you say then you are going to be accepting projects, responsibilities and tasks that downplay your capabilities.?So even though yes is an easier word to say it is not going to do you any favours!
If you want to step up and be recognised for your leadership capabilities, you have to say NO… No to the work that doesn't fit or serve your purpose and Saying No To Your Boss, Executive or Senior Stakeholder is a part of that.?
So two reasons why you may struggle to articulate it is…
One, HABIT!?
We’re so used to saying yes all the time, fresh from school or training our main mission is to prove ourselves, have a great reputation and be recognised etc.?
So YES tends to fall out of our mouth for EVERYTHING!??
It’s a pattern that creates a habit that follows most people around their entire career. If you don’t learn to say no, then you will see the workload pile up.?
When this happens it becomes harder to focus on other projects that are going to position you more strategically and more as a leader.?
Two, TO BE LIKED…?
We seem to have this conditioning where we need to be liked by everyone and when we say NO we are possibly opening ourselves up to confrontation and to avoid that awkward situation we say YES?“Yes, of course, I can do that!”?
So if you want to become a sought-after leader the time has come to reposition yourself.??
You need to change the way you’ve been operating and doing things and that starts with NO.?
The thing is when you say YES to everything you are compromising yourself, this in turn, will affect your self-integrity your self-promise.??
Every job requires a little sacrifice at times and sometimes it’s perfectly warranted, being cooperative, a collaborator, a partner and advisor.??
You want to be recognised and valued but there’s a difference between every so often to continuously!??
So the most important thing in your career, in your life, in your whole being is taking 100% accountability for what happens.?And ask yourself:?
Question #1?
“Have I been clear from the start about my values? Do those I work with know my priorities?”?
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It doesn’t really matter whether you have been with your organisation for five years or brand new, clear communication is the foundation of everything and if you want to have any control over how you progress in your career then this is the path of your success.?
Question #2
“Have I ever communicated what's important, my values?”
This can be done at a performance review, now this should be viewed as an opportunity not a pain in the a**.??
It’s perfect for shifting the spotlight to you and communicate what's important and how you see yourself developing.?
Question #3
“Have I set clear boundaries? And have I maintained and communicated those boundaries?”?
Don’t assume that people automatically know what those boundaries are, you need to communicate them, communicate that you don’t want to work on weekends or stay late every night.??
In situations where you have to say no, you can refer back to your boundaries. Yes, you can bend them from time to time but once again not all the time.
Don’t forget to communicate back!?You need to paraphrase or summarise at the end of each catch-up or meeting you have where the conversation is about strategic goals.?
Doing this will link it back to strategies that your boss, the executive, or the senior stakeholder has agreed to as a priority, it's very difficult for them to say, otherwise when you have put that in place.?
So in closing make sure you know from the start, what you're doing, what your priorities are, and that you're accountable for your actions.?
Be crystal clear about your strategic priorities, linking them back to all the tasks that you're doing and then become better at Saying No To Your Boss, Executive or Senior Stakeholder.?
WANT MORE JUICY CONTENT??
Listen to my podcast:https://www.newhorizoncoaching.com.au/podcasts/career-disruptors-podcast ?
Read my blog:?
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Director & Co Founder @ Therefore Talent
2 年A long time ago I was gifted the concept of ..."If I say yes to this, what am I saying no to?" from the ever wise David Carman