TC: Learning to Say “No”

No. It’s one of the smallest words in our language, but for many it is one of the most difficult words to say. As small business owners we are often confronted with something that we want to say NO to; but, because we didn’t, we became involved in something that didn’t interest us or that became a drain on our business.

The importance of saying NO is something we all understand but something we have a hard time executing. If you can’t say NO, you are abdicating the direction of your business to whoever can sweet-talk you out of your valuable time, energy and talent.

A common word in the minds of many small business owners is FEAR.  In many cases, the following fears have caused us to say YES when we should have said NO.

• Fear of missing out on an opportunity.
• Fear of causing bad feelings.
• Fear of passing up potential revenue.

If we allow ourselves to be driven by these fears, they will greatly hinder our business growth.  If temptation to say yes exists, stop and look at the opportunity cost of each situation.

If you have identified your goals for the next month, months or year and developed a plan to reach those goals, a YES means that you are adding something new. Thus, something old has to be dropped.

Occasionally we have to say YES even if it is just to make ourselves feel better, but make sure that it does not take you away from your established priorities.

Learning to say NO is not only a great time management tool as it allows you to continue focusing on the work at hand, but it also improves the overall efficiency of your business.