Have you ever wanted to say "no" to your boss but were afraid of the fall out? Or, have you said "no" in the past to your boss only to find you have lost favor in his or her eyes? As in most communication, there is an effective and ineffective way to say "no" to someone who has authority over you. I was honored to be interviewed this past week by Fast Company to gain my perspective on this delicate situation and decided the article had great insights to share in today's newsletter.

Great strategizing,

Diane

PS Would love to hear your perspective on this subject or if you had success or failure in attempting it. Email diane@dianeamundson.com

 "Tone is the hardest part of saying no." 

  
                                         Jonathan Price    

If you are a boss or employer, the last thing you want to hear is one of your employees saying "no" to your request. You think to yourself, "How dare they?"  Isn't saying no a form of insubordination? Not always and as we know in most communication it is not always "what" you say but rather "how" you choose to say it.

Please click on the link below to find my responses in this week's Fast Company article which also features coauthor Joseph Grenny of the popular book Crucial Conversations.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3044750/hit-the-ground-running/7-ways-to-say-no-to-your-boss-and-keep-your-job

Question for You:

In the past have you wanted to say "no" to your boss but were too fearful of what would happen to your future in the company, if you did? Have you said "no" only to find a cool response from your boss that damaged your working relationship?

Action for You:

As in most of my newsletters where you are facing a dilemma, it is best to stop and pause before you act on your impulse. Write down the worst outcome for yourself and your boss if you say "no" and the worst outcome if you don't say "no". Begin the conversation with empathizing with your boss and showing how you understand their perspective. Only then should you present the facts that support your decision and ask that he or she reconsiders their request. Also look at the timing of your "no" response. Are you in good standing with your boss with past favorable evaluations? Have you just said "no" to another request recently? By thinking through what is best for the organization and preparing the way in which you will respond will go a long way in getting your way and maintaining the relationship.