In the world of work ethics, it is often seen that professionals struggle a lot to find the right words to reject a client. A sensible rejection is only successful if the individual holding the position understands the client and uses insightful words that don’t sound highly discouraging and offensive. But being sensible is what causes trouble right? How to Say NO Professionally?
Well, to be well prepared with these tactics, one must understand ‘why is it difficult to reject someone?’. We usually avoid giving such a negative connotation because we are afraid of how the client would react. But sometimes saying no can end up being the kindest act possible. One must keep in mind that their time is extremely valuable. So once you say ‘no’ to someone it should be beneficial for the both of you. It’s okay to say ‘no’, especially if one knows the right way to do so.
Here are some pointers that you can keep in mind while saying no:
Different Ways to Say ‘NO’ Professionally
- Have clarity
This is a very direct method if you want to avoid an awkward situation. One must be clear about their reason for saying no. You wouldn’t want your client to keep wondering, especially if the work is very time-sensitive. One must take time to sit and go through the necessary emails before declining. If not, then that would be a very thoughtless act. There’s an obvious difference between being apt and being mean.
- Be Brief
Many people end up lecturing an individual while saying ‘no’. This is something an individual might not feel comfortable hearing at that moment. Elaborating what you say is important but there is a time and place for everything. Express your thoughts as concisely as possible so that the person understands your reason for saying no. After that, follow-up with a positive remark to make sure the person has not misunderstood your ‘no’ for rudeness or hostility.
For example, if your colleague is asking you to help them with their pending paperwork, you can shorten your approach and say “Unfortunately, as much as I want to help you, I am a bit busy right now. Maybe you can ask someone else?.”
- Kindness is the Key
This point is useful for employers who struggle with rejecting candidates. Job candidates often have a fear of rejection from esteemed companies, especially if they are in an emergency and they urgently need the job. Hence you must take their sentiments into account and ensure that you don’t use words that may come off as cold and apathetic. Not everyone has good self-esteem to take the blow. Job seekers often want to feel valued and appreciated even if you do reject them.
Many employers outright reject job candidates without a follow-up on why they were rejected. You might ask “Why must we worry about other’s emotions?” It is important because the day we stop being humane is the day work ethics become meaningless. For example instead of saying “I am sorry but you do not meet the criteria of the organization”, you can say “Your proposal is very exciting but unfortunately our company is not well fit for it. I am sure you will find better opportunities in the future”
- Be Specific with Your Reasons
Often while rejecting someone we beat around the bush and over-explain ourselves without realizing that we are going out of context. After a formal ‘no’, always explain to the job candidate why you said so and how they can do better if they learned to mend their shortcomings. This tip is not only applicable for job rejections but can be applicable for anyone from the workplace who needs to turn down someone.
For example, when turning down a candidate, you might say “You are skillful but our company wants (whatever it may be ) and unfortunately, you might be lacking in that area. Maybe you can work on it a bit and try again.”
- Keep Fresh Opportunities Open
Sometimes it happens that you say ‘no’ to someone because you might not be available at that particular moment, but you might be okay with listening to their requests at a later time. You can use phrases like ‘I am not available at the moment or ‘I don’t have the capacity at the moment. This will keep doors open for future communication and also help you in turning down someone politely. However, use these phrases only if you are available to listen to their requests later. Otherwise, it would give them false hopes of you fulfilling their favor.
- Give Candidates an Alternative Way
Some candidates are skilled but since they don’t meet the organization’s criteria, they end up getting rejected. But that is also because the candidate deserves a better job or they might have little exposure in that particular field of work. So it is always a kind gesture to refer them someplace else which can be beneficial for them.
For example, a candidate is good at photography but applied to a graphic designing job. The manager can turn them down by saying that their portfolio is not up to the mark but since they observed that the client is skilled in photography, the manager could ask them to apply to an editorial or a place where their skills would be useful.
- Speak With Confidence
People often confuse confidence with arrogance but that is not the truth. When you are sure about yourself and about what you want, people don’t get the upper hand to persistently pressurize you to help them. You should understand that being assertive about your needs and prioritizing yourself before others is not rude. Once you understand this, you will be able to stand your ground while turning someone down. For example, if your coworker is constantly asking you to do their pending work because they want to get out of the office early, you can say “I hear your request but please understand that I am busy and no amount of requesting will change that”.
- Learn to Establish Boundaries
One important factor involved in saying no is establishing some boundaries around you. Having these boundaries helps you to communicate your needs and priorities beforehand so that you don’t get approached with unreasonable demands from people around you. Make your intentions clear and be assertive about them. For example, before starting a new job in an organization, you can discuss with your employer about limiting working hours or let them know if you have any chronic conditions that might limit your work capacity.
- Handle employees with care
Employers not only have to turn down job candidates but also turn down employee demands. Sometimes when you hold meetings with your employees, they often do a lot of brainstorming to share their ideas and opinions about a professional venture. But if you have a crucial plan in your head that you want your employees to stick to, you would want them to follow it no matter what the odds are.
You can politely turn their opinions down by appreciating their efforts in the beginning and then letting them know that you will apply them later on in future ventures. That would give them validation. Remember to always insert a ‘maybe’ instead of a ‘no’ so that you do not sound overly critical. For example, “Thank you so much (their name) for your output. As much as I want to include that in this project, our time is really thin so we need to follow the exact directions if we want to catch up with our deadline”. See? Not that difficult right?
- Address Your Co-workers Politely
When you are an employee you make friends who are mostly co-workers. Conflicting situations might arise when your co-worker wants serious help from you but you might not have the time to attend to their needs. What shall you do then? Say ‘no’ right on their face? Well, that’s not a reasonable thing to do so let me reframe how you can turn them down politely. Being polite yet assertive will not only help you gain respect but also strengthen your partnership so that you can be in their good books. So when you are turning down their request, you might use phrases such as ‘’I appreciate you asking me for help. It sounds like a great opportunity but unfortunately, I am cramped with other projects and I don’t think I can give you the time you need for this project’’.
- Always Practice
Now we can see that saying ‘no’ is an art. To muster the courage to say no to people one must always practice. It can be with anyone, a friend, a family member, or even an employee. Keep in mind that your tone should be very diplomatic and polite so the person whom you’re turning down would have respect for you. Have faith in yourself. Think about the people who say no for a living like lawyers, cops, judges, etc. That would help you boost your confidence.
Why is saying ‘NO’ important?
Now, many of us might think that giving a second chance to someone is good manners. Doing what people expect of us is the way to live, right?. Understandably, you want to be there for everyone and not hurt anyone’s sentiments. But then you are not being a diplomat but a people pleaser. Have you watched the movie ‘Yes Man’ starring Jim Carrey and Zoey Dyschannel?. If not, then I advise you to give it a try because that movie teaches us a lesson. Saying yes to everyone and everything will land you in a frustrating position where you might develop resentment towards others. Imagine saying yes to everyone. A walking nightmare isn’t it?
Moreover, think about your health. By the time you finish attending to everyone’s requests, you will be so mentally fatigued and exhausted that you won’t have any energy left to complete your work. We are humans, not superheroes. We are not compelled to be there for everyone. Sometimes you unknowingly overburden yourself with excessive responsibilities of other people and end up putting others’ needs before yours. Slowly you would realize that you are not able to live up to the way you desire and that you are giving more attention to other people’s opinions.
Think of yourself as an event manager and you are trying to arrange a place based on your imagination. Now imagine other employees working under you would give their ideas to you. If you try to take everyone’s ideas into account, you will end up getting frustrated. Will it be a successful execution? I think not. In short, you will realize that you are living everyone else’s life but not yours.
Conclusion
I hope that this article helped you to master the art of rejection. Like I have mentioned, helping others is extremely rewarding and nice. It is a natural human tendency to be there for others But thinks about the pros and cons of everything that comes your way. So next time when someone’s putting you in a difficult situation, you know what to answer.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do you say no in a formal way?
A: There are many ways to say no formally. Always use words such as ‘I am honored’ or ‘Unfortunately (address them) I am not capable’ in between your sentences so that you sound well-mannered.
Q2. How to say no politely in business matters?
A: Try making a statement of regret (I appreciate the offer but I am so sorry, I just can’t) as you speak to the person. The tone should be well adjusted so that the person knows that you absolutely can’t help yourself.
Q3. What other words can I use instead of the word ‘no’?
Answer: If it is formal then you can use words like ‘certainly not’, ‘no thanks, or ‘by no means. If it is informal then you can use words like ‘Nah or ‘no way’ or ‘nope’.
Q4. How to say ‘no’ diplomatically?
A: Be polite always. That is the first step. You can use words like ‘no thank you’ or ‘ maybe some other time’ while turning the person down. In this way, you don’t feel guilty and the other person does not feel hurt.
