How To Say No To Your Boss

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That could be your manager, the company owner, life partner, or customer.

Regardless of how great of a boss they are, it is only a matter of time until you are asked to do the one project that finally breaks the proverbial camel’s back. Eventually, we all end up feeling overwhelmed and feel the unrelenting urge to scream “NOOO MORE.”

The question is not if we need to say no, but rather how to say no effectively.

PS if you prefer to watch click here for the video:

Why do we need to say no

We all get paid to do a job, and very seldom are the roles and responsibilities perfectly laid out. There will always be new problems to solve and fires that need to be put out. Eventually, there will come a time when more projects and tasks are coming in than we are able to finish and cross them off the to-do list. This is when we need to say no.

PS: I highly recommend It doesn’t Have To Be Crazy at Work if you are looking for a great book on work culture that doesn’t suck.

It is not only important, but it is your job to let your boss know when you have too much on your plate and that something needs to be reprioritized.

In most cases, your boss was given a vague list of tasks to get done, which then funnels down the chain of command. If you explain that you are overloaded it will help your boss better understand how much is on your plate and then they can be more selective when assigning projects or directives. In addition, your boss will have the opportunity to review your priorities and delete or delegate unnecessary tasks.

Why doesn’t the boss know I’m overloaded?

Your boss is a human and not a mind reader, they will not know when you are overloaded and overwhelmed. Their job is to give you tasks and projects that will help the company win. It is your job to execute those projects, provide feedback on how it is going, and ask questions when you are not clear about your priorities. It is your responsibility to educate your boss when you are overwhelmed and struggling.

A good leader will explain both what must be done and why it should be done. When a leader explains the why, then everyone underneath can operate at a much higher level and make more decisions independently. Unfortunately, the world is full of both good leaders and mediocre managers.

It’s a priority problem

Nine times out of ten, needing to say no to your boss is because of a lack of priorities.

Often when we become overloaded, we run out of focus before we run out of actual hours in the workday. Having endless tasks to complete makes us overwhelmed; when this happens, we bounce from task to task, which will cause us to get even less done.

Whenever you find yourself constantly switching tasks, there needs to be a priority conversation with your boss. When you and your boss are aligned on your priorities, you can confidently work on the vital priority and safely ignore the rest. This gives you the freedom needed to be effective.

How to say no

Eventually, it will finally come time to lay down the law, dig in your boots and say the hardest word, no.

When this happens, it is vital to handle it effectively, not for your boss’s sake, but your own.

The best strategy to say no is by first saying yes.

To say no, you need to say it in a way your boss will hear and understand. It is essential to express that you are not saying no to work, but you are unsure what the priorities are and what should be finished first.

Here is a great script:

Boss says, “Hey Jill, there is a project I need you to work on. Upper management wants it done ASAP.”

You respond, “Absolutely boss, I would love to, thank you for thinking of me. But, before I start, can we review my priorities so that I can be sure I’m working on the most important project?”

Boss “What do you mean? I thought you finished your tasks and are looking for something else to do.”

Jill “Actually, I’ve been working on project Y.”

Boss “Ohhhh, that’s right, I forgot about that. Well, management can wait another day for this project. Will that give you enough time to wrap up project Y?”

Jill “You bet, thanks!”

The boss can now work with you to ensure you are working on the most vital priority. Instead of simply saying no, you ask for a clarification of the highest priority. This gives your boss a chance to re-evaluate what they ask from you and get you both aligned.

Thanks for reading! I hope it can provide some insight and courage to effectively say no.