These days we all seem to be doing more at work with fewer people and resources. When will it stop? Can you ever say “no” when your boss or a co-worker asks you to do something new? This is tricky. You want to be seen as a team player, but you also are extremely busy. What do you do?
I think sometimes it is ok to say no with a good reason. Sometimes. Obviously, if it is a project that is critical to your business or is the top priority of the company; you probably need to do it. But, if it’s one of those odd projects that always seem to pop up or you’ve been asked to be on a large team you might not have time for, consider holding your ground and saying no; with reason, of course. Here are three reasons why you might need to say no:
- You need to keep your focus. If you are working on a big project or have a pressing deadline, you might not be able to help. You need to keep focused on your work.
- You are always the one who is asked. If you constantly are the one asked to join a team, take on a new project or help out on a program, maybe ask if someone else is available – kind of a “spread the wealth” for new work.
- Your time is valuable too. If this is just someone’s pet project or something that is non-essential, tell the requester that you need justification to give up your time. Your time means something. It’s the only thing we can’t get more of.
Again, if it’s a critical or very important project it can be tough to say no. However, don’t always feel like you can’t state your case. It’s nice to be a team player or the “go to” person, but there are only so many hours in the day! If you’re in a role where a boss doesn’t let you say “no”, maybe it’s time to move on.
