How to Say No To Your Boss

There are times when you have to say no to your boss. You could be asked to complete a task or assignment that you know you can’t finish on time. Or you may be asked to go to a meeting or function that you absolutely cannot attend. Saying yes could get you in hot water. Saying no can cause trouble too unless you do it the right way.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Find out details about what you have to do if you say yes. Ask your boss open-ended questions to make sure you get all of the details. Make sure you understand the assignment or task. You can give a well-informed response and if you do the work you'll know exactly what is expected.

2. Say when you can do something instead of saying no. If it's Monday and you are asked to have a report completed on Tuesday that you know you can’t get done until Thursday, tell your boss. You are not out and out saying no; you are proposing an alternative.

3. Suggest someone else to handle the task. Don’t just say, “Can you find someone else to do this?” Do say, “I think Susie would do a great job on this, and I know she has the time.”

4. Ask for help. You can agree to the assignment as long as you get some assistance. Just like Step 3, don’t just say “I need help”, suggest a specific person to help you.

5. Tell your boss what’s on your plate that would prevent you from taking on the new work. She may not know that you are handling a large deal for a difficult customer or doing research for the president of the company. This could also lead you back to Step 2 and you say when you are available.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask good questions to get the information you need. Good questions include, “What makes this a priority now?”, “Where would I get the information/tools/material from?” and “What’s involved in completing this project?”
• Find out what a successful outcome looks like. Ask if it this has been done before and if so can your boss point you to an example or a person to talk to.
• Talk to your boss at the right time. When we manage our bosses well we know when to ask questions so that we get their full attention. The best time could be first thing in the morning over coffee, or late in the day. Don’t bring these things up when they are rushed and working towards a deadline themselves.
• If you take on the task and then find out that you can’t meet the deadline, tell your boss as soon as possible. Managers would rather learn this early than the day they expect the finished product. This gives them time to change the assignment, get you help or pitch in themselves.

[BarryWaite]

on 12/21/2007 Great points...I see you have a number of articles on HR type issues...I'll be reading them and commenting when I get a bit more time. Thanks for these insights...I wish more employees would take them to heart.