The Power of No: Why Managers Must Master the Art of Saying No

In a world of constantly growing demands and increasing complexity, setting priorities is one of the most essential skills for managers. However, saying no in a targeted manner is often more difficult in practice than it may seem at first glance, especially if you have spent years learning to say yes.

The Art of Saying “No”: An Important Leadership Skill

“Those who are open for anything will soon be closed for business,” says Bodo Schlegelmilch, Dean of the WU Executive Academy. “Setting clear priorities requires differentiating between what’s truly important for the company or your position and what’s a mere distraction or ties up resources, costing time and energy.”

A colleague’s gift, deliberately placed on the Dean’s desk, serves as a reminder: at the push of a red, battery-powered “no” button, the operative word will sound (growing in vehemence with every push).

Saying no does not mean acting selfishly. On the contrary: according to Bodo Schlegelmilch, a well-founded “no”, whether to a team member or superior, is a sign of appreciation, self-respect, and clarity and should be communicated clearly. “If I can explain why I'm saying no, it shows that I've thought through my priorities and am aware of the consequences of my decision for myself and others.”

The Crux with Overachievers and People Pleasers

Many leaders have a hard time saying no because they fall under either of two categories: overachievers or people pleasers. “Typically, executives rise in the ranks because they exceed the expectations and requirements that come with their job profile. Simply put, they work harder than others – they’re overachievers,” Kussai El Chichakli, long-serving executive at Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola as well as founder of the management consulting firm The Center, points out.

The constant drive to go the extra mile and take on more and more responsibility can, however, result in excessive stress if you don't learn to say no sometimes. An (inherently positive) habit can thus cause overachievers to ignore their sense of when saying no would be important and the right thing to do.

Also, people pleasers are often found in C-level suites, Kussai El-Chichakli affirms. A typical sign of people-pleasing is the constant wish to make everybody happy. “To avoid causing conflicts or disappointment, people pleasers often say yes even if they realize they should be saying no. This kind of behaviour can lead people to lose sight of their own priorities, values, and principles – what’s urgent and important for others becomes urgent and important for them.

Trying to please others by saying yes to everything, however, has no added value for either employees or executives, no matter how good the intention. If anything, it can cause excessive stress and a loss of direction just as fast as overachieving,” Kussai El-Chichakli warns.

5 Tips: How Saying No Works in Practice

The two leadership experts have taken a closer look at how saying no can become a valuable and indispensable management tool.

Here is a summary of their 5 tips for saying “no” in practice:

Tip 1: Learn to Say No to Optimize Time and Self-Management

At the level of self-leadership, saying no is absolutely essential in order to be able to manage your own resources and set boundaries without feeling guilty. “Management pioneer Peter Drucker has said that time is the most essential resource in management. Setting a limit for their own time and energy, however, can be difficult for many executives. Before you say no on behalf of your organization, start with your own limits,” Kussai El-Chichakli recommends.

His tip is to focus on the essential: “Study your calendar and ask yourself: which meetings could just as well go ahead without me? Often, executives end up realizing they’re spending a major part of their time on appointments that serve no real purpose. You will be amazed at how much time and energy you will be able to free up this way.”

Tip 2: Question Effectiveness and Efficiency with a Clear "No"

Whenever you receive an external request or assignment, take your time to ask what’s behind it. What is the objective? What can be achieved putting in the required effort and within the defined time frame? And, most of all: “Will it in fact advance the company? Any projects and measures taken should always comply with the company’s goals and vision and support them in the best possible way,” Bodo Schlegelmilch emphasizes.

Tip 3: Show the Consequences of a “Yes”

Don’t just flat out by saying no - try to make your point using fact-based and well-intentioned arguments. What other, in fact more essential and urgent tasks would have to be neglected if you said yes? What would be the repercussions on your team or yourself in terms of additional burden?

“Any no can usually be well argued by showcasing the ramifications of saying yes – for instance if an urgent project would be halted or a deadline could not be kept,” Bodo Schlegelmilch says.

Tip 4: Emphasize When Saying Yes Really Matters

Saying no to unimportant tasks means saying yes to the things that truly matter and should receive special attention. “It’s an opportunity for executives to specifically point out why focusing on the essential is more beneficial and brings better and more tangible results than getting bogged down by other tasks,” Bodo Schlegelmilch asserts.

Tip 5: Choose to Let Go by Saying No

Saying “no” is also essential for driving forward important change projects and transformation processes in companies. “Saying yes to change often means saying no to outdated patterns of behavior and thinking as well as entrenched ways of working,” explains Kussai El-Chichakli.

Conclusion: Saying No as a Key Competence for Managers

Successfully saying no is part of mindful self-management, both experts agree. “Time is every manager’s most important resource,” Kussai El-Chichakli affirms. “And energy – their own or the energy they generate together with others.”

Especially in change processes that require parting with old patterns and introducing new ones, the ability to say no is a key competence. It helps us maintain our focus and lift the pressure off our teams. A no from above can protect our employees from superfluous assignments. A no is thus much more than a mere rejection. It is a conscious decision in favor of what’s essential – the organization’s goals and our own balance as managers. In a nutshell: “A clear and well-argued no will eventually help executives to better manage their own resources as well as lead their teams and organizations more effectively,” Bodo Schlegelmilch concludes.

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