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{"id":193,"date":"2017-05-21T09:00:53","date_gmt":"2017-05-21T03:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ithrive.in\/blog\/?p=193"},"modified":"2017-06-21T12:21:57","modified_gmt":"2017-06-21T06:51:57","slug":"saying-no","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ithrive.in\/saying-no\/","title":{"rendered":"How to say a \u201cNo\u201d."},"content":{"rendered":"

In the last couple of blog posts, we\u2019ve stressed on how important soft skills and communication skills are and, what personality traits are expected of an employee. We have briefly touched upon the importance of having a positive and an <\/span>assertive personality<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s blog post, we are going to discuss one simple word \u201cNO\u201d. Perhaps, one of the most difficult words to say. The baggage with the word \u201cNo\u201d is that it tends to ruin relationships and your image. At the same time, you can not afford to be obsequious employee or a \u2018yes man\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of your corporate life is built on your willingness to learn. However, you need to be able to define your boundaries. Know when you\u2019re struggling and when you\u2019re being taken advantage of. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Following are some strategies to say \u201cNo\u201d nicely and politely –<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Keep your guilt out of it<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Your guilt has nothing to do with saying \u2018no\u2019. If you are truly busy and it\u2019s impossible to make it to your friend\u2019s birthday, then there is no need to feel guilty. In such a case, you can simply plan something else with him when you\u2019re relatively less busy.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    The guilt factor is one of the major reasons why people shy away from saying a \u2018no\u2019. In most cases, not saying \u2018no\u2019 has worse consequences than refusing. <\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    2. Be true to your faiths and convictions<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re asked to go against your beliefs, faiths and convictions, it\u2019s time you reconsider. There\u2019s no harm in being flexible, don\u2019t get us wrong. But you can only be as flexible to you actually break. <\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Always stand by your principles. You don\u2019t have go out of your way to make others believe in your convictions, but you need to be true to yourself. Only then can you be genuine, which brings us to our next point\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    3. Be genuine<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t lie because that seems to be the only way to get out of it. If your colleague asks you for help with some presentation, you can simply say –<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \u201cThank you for asking. But unfortunately, I\u2019m quite busy with my project for the quarter. Why don\u2019t you ask XYZ? Maybe he can help you out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    4. Don\u2019t be rude<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    As we see in the earlier example, always be polite. Being arrogant or rude can undoubtedly strain the relationship. Try to help by providing a reference whenever possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

    5. Don\u2019t be afraid<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Lastly, don\u2019t be afraid that you\u2019ve said a no. You can not always be available or flexible. Remember to not be very hard on yourself. Saying a \u2018no\u2019 should be as easy as maintaining a normal conversation. <\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Just remember these pointers next time you have to refuse. Also, here are some common phrases that you can use instead of a flat \u2018no\u2019:<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n