15 Ways to (Gracefully) Say No at Work
by Lisa Bodell for Forbes
If you’re a human person with a job, you’ve no doubt encountered your share of time-sucks. Often, it’s in the form of someone who wants your time but isn’t offering anything in return. In these scenarios, it’s up to you to say no gracefully — and without guilt.
As a work simplification expert with a handful of books and online courses, I’m constantly testing approaches to help my clients say “no” with intention so they can say “yes” with purpose. The 15 options below are proven phrases for firmly declining requests without offending the person demanding your time.
· “I can’t do it but let me see if I can recommend someone else.”
· “Wish I could, but I’m just not taking on new projects right now. ”
· “Sadly, I’m not able to assist this time.”
· “I’m afraid that I need to focus on X project right now.”
· “You’re so kind to think of me, but I just can’t lend a hand.”