Just say no!
Managers are increasingly expected to achieve more with less. This requires the ability to make on the spot decisions in a way that values their time and supports the achievement of their objectives. When faced with conflicting demands daily, effective managers cannot say yes to everyone, they must think strategically about their priorities.
Saying no whilst easy to say is very difficult to do in practice! Why? Deep down, people don’t like the feeling of letting others down and wanting to be liked can cause havoc with your schedule! Those people that struggle saying no may find themselves pulled from pillar to post as other people take over their time.
If you are finding that you are spending more time working on other’s people’s priorities than your own, then you may benefit from trying out the following proven strategies to effectively ‘say no’:
1.The Rain-check “No”
This is not a definite “no”. It is a way of saying “no” to the request at the present moment but leaves room for saying “Yes” in the future. Only use it if you genuinely want to meet the request. For example “I can’t complete that today, but I could make some time next week”.
2.The Enquiring “No”
As with the rain-check “no” this is not a definite “no”. It is a way of opening up the request to see if there is another way it could be met. For example “Is there anyone else that could do this?”
3.The Broken Record “No”.
This can be used in a wide range of situations. You just repeat the simple statement of refusal over and over again. No explanation, just repeat it. It is particularly good for persistent requests. For example, I’m unable to complete it this week……., as I said, I’m unable to complete it this week…
4.The Reasoned “No”.
In this technique you give a very brief and genuine reason for why you are saying “No”. For example “I can’t compete this today because I have a report that needs to be finished by 5pm”.
For more details strategies and tips around working efficiently, click here http://archive.adaltadevelopment.co.uk/courses/personal-productivity/