Does saying no at work seem impossible for you? If you said, yes, then you are not alone.
Let me tell you about one of my clients who I’ll call Angie.
Angie, a senior director at an advertising agency, excelled in her role and was incredibly proud of the work she and her team accomplished. But, she struggled with turning off at the end of the day. Work worries followed her into her evenings, and she often found herself distracted by upcoming deadlines while at the dinner table. Saying no didn’t even feel like an option.
Then there’s Malik, a product lead at a software company.
Malik was identified as a star among his peers. He was not only smart and driven but also empathetic and kind. He loved to be helpful to others teams and volunteered himself to take on additional responsibilities. Though it helped his visibility, Malik paid a price. He found himself overwhelmed and overburdened by so many meetings that he had no time to get his actual work done. Yet he felt guilty saying no to requests that came his way.
Angie and Malik both struggled with saying no at work – and this is a very common challenge for many professionals, especially those who are considerate and eager to please.
Saying No with Grace and Professionalism
As a human behavior professor, licensed social worker, and coach to high-performers, I can tell you this:
Saying no with grace and professionalism is one of the most important skills you can develop.
Enter: my new LinkedIn Learning course, Learning to Say No with Confidence and Grace. This course summarizes tools and strategies I’ve used over the past ten years with coaching clients at companies like Google, Amazon, and more.
The importance of saying no from Learning to Say No with Confidence and Grace by Melody Wilding
And inside you’ll discover how to:
- Set boundaries at work that boost your confidence and well-being
- Decline requests gracefully and preserve your relationships
- Push back on your boss respectfully
- Develop confidence by conquering fears block you from saying no
One of the toughest parts of saying no is what to say, so throughout the course, I’ll share helpful scripts and language you can use at work starting today.
