If you don’t think you can say NO at work and keep your job, then are going to want to read this.  Find out how to minimize workplace stress, get more done at work by saying NO and gain your boss’s understanding and respect when  you say NO to their request.  After reading this article you will have the confidence to tell your boss “NO”.

Many people have a hard time saying NO, especially in the workplace. Telling your boss NO when they are requesting you to take on a new project, additional duties or pick up extra workload; may seem to be about the most stressful situation you can think of, but when you learn to say NO you can actually minimize your workplace stress.  When you always agree to do everything you are asked to do, your time becomes overbooked, you start missing deadlines, projects can fall through the cracks and your boss might be talking to you about your performance.

When you learn to effectively say NO to duties and responsibilities you can not legitimately add to your workload;  the stress of feeling overwhelmed and constantly on the go disappears.

This article is NOT intended for you to tell your boss NO to everything! That would probably not get you the desired outcome; it might even get you on the unemployment roles.  What I am saying is that there are times when additional workload is not feasible.

Maybe your supervisor is asking because they are not aware of where you are in your current workload, a co-worker is sick or maybe because they know you will say yes, even if it means you have to stay late.

Open and honest communication with your boss or supervisor is the key.  When you are asked to take on more workload, don’t automatically say YES.  Pause, think about the request, clarify what exactly you are being asked to do, and then give an honest answer.  If you can take on the additional work, go for it!  It never hurts to take on additional work to show you are competent, willing and able to support the team.

If you can’t get the job done when it needs to be, it would put your other projects at risk, or taking it on would compromise quality; than it is time to talk.  Negotiate with your supervisor and see if you can come to a mutual agreement on scope of work, time frames, deadlines or even support help for you. You might be surprised at how understanding and helpful your supervisor is to your NO response to their request.

After all, if you say yes, but don’t complete the request, everyone will be stressed out!  When you are stressed out, all your work suffers and you actually accomplish less.  Most supervisors are willing to avoid stressing their employees out and want to create a winning outcome for everyone.

Learning to tell your Boss “NO” is a skill that can minimize workplace stress, help you get more done because you have open and honest communication with your supervisor and it will help you gain respect from your boss, because they will know if you tell them YES to a request, you will get it done!  Now you can start practicing your skill at Saying NO with confidence because you know that the outcome is worth it.  And so are you!

June 2013 Issue