Saying “no” properly is a lost art. Although a lot of people feel really awkward about saying no, I think women especially get uncomfortable with it, because we’re more societally trained to be ‘people pleasers’
But it’s one of the most important skills that you can master in business, because it ensures that you can keep your focus and your energy on the things that are most important to you.
The basic formula for saying no in pretty much any situation is:
1. Acknowledge the request.
2. Firmly say no, and explain why if you want to.
3. Offer another type of help/say something nice.
Pretty simple, right? But because I know it can be intimidating to say no to certain people (e.g. patients, suppliers, sales reps, agencies) you’ll find 5 templates for saying “no” in this featured article that I wrote for the Journal of Aesthetic Nursing — feel free to use them and modify them however you like.
Click here to read the article
I hope you find it useful.
Best Wishes
Pam