Did you know that saying "No" can actually be doing a favor for the person you are talking to? Really -- it can!! It is also something that is really hard for overachievers to do. And that is what we are right? As entrepreneurs we take on all kinds of things, but sometimes they are not the right things for the time.
Consider this Situation
You are swamped. You are having difficulty getting things done that are already on your plate, when a good colleague contacts you about an organization that means a lot to you. They are planning a fund-raising event and would like you to participate. You know that you really cannot take on any more.
You Have Choices
* Yes
* No
Which one would you choose? This is a really important organization to you. It will really disappoint your colleague if you say that you cannot participate.
Just Say NO!
Now, I'm not a heartless person. I have a number of community organizations that I work with, but I do say "No" too. Here is why.
If you say "yes," you are compromising your time and priorities. Here are a few scenarios of what could occur:
* You end up being so bogged down that you do a mediocre job on the fund raising project - ultimately the organization that means a lot to you is not as successful because you cannot really spend time on it.
* You feel bitter about having to participate and end up backing out a few months into the project. The colleague that asked you to help now has to take over your portion because it is too late to find someone else. Ultimately, you hurt a relationship and the organization that means a lot to you has lost.
* You neglect other important projects and disappoint those colleagues because you spend time on this fund-raising event.
* You loose sleep trying to do more than you really can afford and ultimately get sick and can do even less.
* Your family gets frustrated with you because you decide to putt off activities with them in order to work the fund-raising event.
Wow! Those are not good outcomes are they? Now let's look at it this way:
* You talk with your colleague and tell him/her that you really appreciate the opportunity to participate, but you cannot take on anything further at this time. You have an idea of someone that might be a great alternative so you mention this as well.
* You tell your colleague that you cannot help in the way requested, but you would be happy to do X.
End result? Your colleague is disappointed, but he/she appreciates your position and staffs the project differently. You are able to feel good about where you spend your time. The organization that means a lot to you benefits from the event and you even participate in the actual event and have a good time even though you did not help in the planning.
Which end result do you like better? How do you feel about saying "No?" Have you ever had good things come out of saying "No?" I'd be interested in hearing your story.
Just Say "No!" - To learn more about this author, visit Stephanie Calahan's Website.
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Stephanie Calahan
(Visit Stephanie's Website)
Stephanie L.H. Calahan (www.Step
hanieCalahan.com) of Calahan
Solutions, Inc. is a dynamic entrepreneur,
nationally known exper and speaker, media
personality, author, publisher,
productivity/ organization consultant, &
business start-up coach. She focuses on
conducting presentations, personal
coaching, productivity assessments &
organizing services. She believes that
diversity of thought, communication
styles, backgrounds, & experiences lead to
more innovative, longer-lasting solutions.
Steph has worked with hundreds of clients,
and understands that every person is
unique & requires systems that work for
them. As such, she has been featured on/in
numerous venues (w
ww.calahansolutions.net)
She is an active member in many
professional organizations & is an active
community leader. As such, she has
received many awards recognizing her for
her contributions. Her corporate and small
business expertise as well as her Computer
Science & HR backgrounds give her a unique
perspective of what works at work. As a
wife & mother, she knows family & leisure
time is more important than ever.
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