How to Politely Say "No": Tips for Communicating with Coworkers
Communicating with coworkers isn't always pleasant. Everyone has bad days, ruined by annoying coworkers who demand answers to their endless questions.
On such a day, there inevitably came a moment when you had to be firm and refuse one of their requests. It was necessary to master the art of refusal.
There are ten typical types of requests and questions and, accordingly, ten ways to clearly and politely answer “no”.
1. If an employee asks you to lend him some money until payday, you tell him:
"My soul agrees, but my bank card says no, no and no."
2. If a colleague asks you to stay after work and help him, answer like this:
"Unfortunately, I'm very busy this evening. Perhaps Marina can help you out."
3. If a co-worker asks you to tell your boss an "innocent little lie," you can say:
"You know, this is a very bad idea, and I won't go for it."
4. If a colleague asks you to confirm that he (she) attended a meeting at an outside organization, you should respond:
"No way. Are you crazy or do you want us fired? Let's not make any fatal mistakes."
5. If someone on your team asks you to complain to your boss about one of your colleagues, you can say:
"No, I personally have no disagreements with him, and I don't want to take sides. You should resolve this issue yourself or ask your boss to mediate."
6. If a co-worker insists that you throw a party at work, respond like this:
“No, unfortunately I don’t have time – I have too many things to do.”
7. If one of your colleagues invites you to a meeting, and you do not want to accept his invitation, you can say:
"I thank you for the invitation, but I cannot accept it."
8. If one of your employees asks you to hire his friend instead of a more knowledgeable candidate, you can give this answer:
"No, that would be unethical."
9. If a coworker asks you to help him with a project and you don’t have time, you can respond like this:
"Unfortunately, I can't help you. I advise you to ask your boss to give you someone to help."
10. If someone asks you to donate money to a charity fund of some company, you can say something like:
"No, I want to give a gift from myself personally."
It may not always be easy to refuse a colleague's unreasonable or unreasonable request.
In such situations, stand firm, but remember to remain polite and confident. Remember that you have the right to say “no” in any case.
Earlier we talked about how to overcome disappointment in a loved one.
