How to say “No”
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Why it is so hard to say “NO’’
• Don’t want to hurt other people’s feeling
• Desire to give a good impression
• Fear of appearing incompetent
• Afraid of what people may think
• You think you can handle it
• You don't want to feel guilty
• You're a people-pleaser
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Signs When You Should Say ‘’NO’’
If you're struggling to decide whether to turn down a request, ask yourself these
questions. They might help you make a decision.
•Does saying yes support my goals?
•Does this project or request align with my values?
•Are there challenges that would make saying yes more difficult?
•Will saying yes to the request prevent me from doing something else that is more important to
me?
•Will saying yes help or hurt my mental well-being?
•Will saying yes create more stress or contribute to burnout?
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Why Is “NO” Vital
Saying no establishes boundaries :
Boundaries demonstrate what you are willing to accept in a relationship and how you expect to be treated. They are
important for relationship dynamics and for mental well-being
Say no limits stress:
Taking on too much or saying yes to things you really don't want to do creates excessive stress. Stress can take a serious toll
on your health and well-being, particularly when it becomes a chronic problem
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Why Is “NO” Vital
Saying no reduces resentment:
If you say yes when you really want to say no, you may end up resenting the person who made the request. While saying
no can be difficult, it can protect the health of the relationship in the long run.
Saying no can limit regret:
If you say yes to things that don't align with your goals or values, you may experience regret in the future. Being able to say
no to people means that you'll have more time to devote your energy to the things that really matter to you.
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Creative Phrases to say “NO”
• I totally understand what you are going through, I would have
loved to assist you but my hands are tied
• I know how frustrating it can be, could I help / provide you
anything else
• I am sorry”/ I regret or “Please accept my / our apology
• Please accept our apologies that the ( …………. Request) is not
available at present. however, please allow me to check the best
option/ possibility and come back to you
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Creative Phrases to say “NO’’
I’m so sorry I’m occupied currently.
That’s not going to work for me.
It seems difficult ,Maybe next time.
I’d love to – however time doesn’t allow me.
I would love to do it however my hands are tied, is there
anything else I can do for you instead this
That doesn’t work for me.
I wish I could make it work however …
I really appreciate you asking me, I have another work in
hand ,could I come back to you later
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Creative Phrases to say “NO’’
I could have helped you but I am afraid it Is not available
Sounds great, but I’II have to pass this time .
I am honoured that you asked me but I can’t do it.
I really appreciate you asking me but I can’t commit to
that right now
Thank you for asking I may have to recheck my schedule
I’d like to, but I know I’II regret it.
I’m afraid I will not be able to is there anything else
Maybe another time.
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Say “No” without actually saying “No”
When you break negative news to clients you want to soften the blow and show
them you understand their concerns. In most cases there is no need to say “No”
directly. You can wrap your negative news into positive content, making it an
ingredient of your “news sandwich”.
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Techniques of saying a “NO
Don’t just say no, explain the reason why.
Simply saying no isn’t effective. Explaining your reasoning will give you a much better chance of having your “no” be well-
received and agreed upon. You always want to provide a sound reason, not an excuse, as to why you’re saying no. This helps
the other person see things from your point of view and respond more rationally rather than reactively.
Be rational.
Unfortunately, we can’t just say no to all of the things we don’t want to do. When you say no to something or someone,
make sure you have a truly valid reason. Saying no too often leads to being labelled as uncooperative, not a team player, or a
frustrating employee.
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Propose an alternative.
The easiest way to have your “no” stick is to provide an alternative plan. If you can’t do something on a
specific day or time, see if there’s another timeframe that works for both you and the other person. If you
don’t have the bandwidth to complete a full project, offer to do a small part of it. The key is to be flexible.
Be honest, to a point.
You never want to lie to get out of doing something, but you also don’t need to go overboard on the
details. There’s a difference between stating why you can’t do the work and turning that why into a full-
blown story. If you have a scheduling conflict, just say that with a brief explanation of why you can’t
reschedule your pre-existing commitment. It’s more compelling when it’s brief and it’s more believable.
Strangely enough, the more details you add to an explanation, the more it can sound like you’re making
things up even when it’s 100% true.
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Here’s what saying no will give back to you:
More energy ,mentally free :
Not only will you be saving energy, the fact that you
are now in conscious control which will add extra
energy which allows you to enjoy your work.
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Saying yes to other things
There are only 24 hours in a day, but from now on, more time you have for
you.
More confidence More productive
Saying “no” to others can often amount to saying “yes” to yourself.
Making decisions based on what is important to you will enable you to
work within your priorities rather than someone else's. You are
responsible for your own time!
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Empowers you:
Saying “no” means you are behind the steering wheel and can go wherever
you want.
Allows yourself to be honest and More respect
You’ll respect yourself more and so will others. They might not
like you as much, but if they were trying to step over your
boundaries before, they probably didn’t like you much anyway –
not really. At least you’ll have their respect when you show them
your clear, no-discussion limits.
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Leave room to focus on priorities :
When you often say yes to side projects or helping out, you are missing
out on your own priorities.
Saying no frees up your time to allow you to focus on your list of
priorities
Give others a chance to say yes
When you say no, it actually allows others a chance to step
up and take up the challenge at work.
This way, you allow others an opportunity to grow while you
focus on your priorities. In this sense, everyone wins.
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Do you have any question?
Thank you
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