The Art Of Saying no: How To Stand Your Ground, Reclaim Your Time And Energy, And Refuse To Be Taken For Granted

participants?
Third, ask your boss to reprioritize your workload.
Suggest postponing an existing project that’s on your plate
so you can devote your time and attention to the new
project.
Fourth, if none of your current projects and tasks can be
rescheduled, ask whether the new project can be
postponed. For example, you might tell your boss that you’ll

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have more bandwidth in five days, after you’ve completed
your current deliverables.
You can say no to your boss without actually using the
word “no.” In fact, doing so is a smart tactic since “no”
carries a negative connotation. The more important point is
that you communicate your limitations and offer alternative
solutions that’ll help your boss accomplish what he or she
wants.

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HOW TO SAY NO TO YOUR
CLIENTS
S
ome clients are a dream to work with. They’re
communicative regarding their needs, set reasonable time
frames for deliverables, and are willing to allow you, the
person they’ve hired, to work according to your process.
Moreover, they pay your invoices in a timely manner.
And then there are the difficult clients. These clients
insist you meet unreasonable deadlines. They regularly
demand that you perform duties that lie outside the terms
of your contract or agreement. And they micromanage your
work to the point that you dread working on the projects for
which they’ve hired you.
It’s relatively easy to say no to the latter group. Turning
down projects from clients who are disrespectful and overly
demanding is a matter of survival. They take up too much
time while delivering too little compensation for the effort
and aggravation.
But even great clients sometimes make requests you’re
better off turning down. For example, you may lack the
resources to take on a certain project. If you were to consent
to the project, you’d be setting yourself up for failure. Or
perhaps the time and effort required are too great given the
compensation. Or maybe it’s a good project, but you’ve
planned a vacation that limits your availability.

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The point is, there are often valid reasons to say no to
clients, even the ones you enjoy working with. But doing so
can still be difficult. You don’t want to disappoint them or
hurt their feelings. You don’t want to hurt the relationship.
And you certainly don’t want to lose their business.
So how can you say no to clients in a way that’ll ensure
they respect your decisions?
First, recognize that turning down a client’s project isn’t
a negative reflection of your service or professionalism. On
the contrary, it shows that you know your limits and have a
solid sense regarding how you want to run your business.
Second, provide a legitimate reason for declining the
request. For example, you might say:
I’m going to pass on this project
because I don’t have the
resources (or skills) to do a good
job for you.”
Or you could explain:
I’ll be on vacation next month,
so I won’t have time to work on
this for you.”
Reasons validate your decisions. A client who
understands why you’re turning down her request is more
likely to forgive you for doing so.
Third, offer an alternative. For example, if your lack of
availability is preventing you from taking on a project,
suggest a deadline that’s further down the road. Or if you
lack the skill set required to complete the project, refer your
client to someone you trust who possesses the necessary
skills. If you’re simply not interested in the project, suggest
a qualified peer who might be willing to take it on in your
stead.

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Saying no to clients is rarely fun. That’s especially true if
you genuinely like them and enjoy working with them. But
depending on your circumstances, saying no is sometimes
your best option. As long as you’re communicative, candid,
and respectful, you can do so without harming the
relationship. As a bonus, you’ll be setting the expectation
that you will occasionally say no.

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