Work
How to say no to extra work
You’re talking to Rick, your manager. The goal: say no (or set limits) without over-apologizing.
Your first line
Rick starts with “Hey, quick one. I need you to cover the weekend project. Should only be a few hours.”
“I can’t cover the weekend this time. I’ve got plans I can’t move.”
No + one reason: the no comes first, and one short reason is enough. Every extra reason is one more thing for him to argue with.
What Rick might say, and what to say back
Rick: “It’s really only a few hours.”
You: “I hear you. It’s still a no for this weekend. I can look at it first thing Monday.”
Rick: “I don’t have anyone else on this.”
You: “That’s tough. If I take part of it Monday, which of my other deadlines moves?”
Rick: “Can you at least check in on it Saturday?”
You: “No, I’ll be offline Saturday. Monday at 8, I’m all yours.”
Two things that trip people up
- Saying sorry three times before you get to the no.Skip the apology. “I can’t this weekend” is polite on its own.
- Answering with “I’ll see what I can do.”A maybe sounds like a yes to a busy boss. Say the no, or the exact limit, like “two hours Monday.”
Now say it out loud
Reading the words isn’t the same as saying them. Practice this one with Rick pushing back like the real person would. Then your coach, Rae, fixes your exact words. The move to focus on: No + one reason.
Practice this one free3 free reps a day. No sign-up. Out loud or typed.