Not necessarily. In some cases, “Sorry, I can’t” may actually be the most appropriate response. Dubious about this claim? Here are some examples of situations in which it might make sense to say no and suggestions for how to turn down the boss diplomatically.
Handling deadline of colleague
The situation: Whenever a colleague falls short on an important assignment, your supervisor looks to you to save the day. Initially, being the go-to person was flattering. But having to constantly step in at the last minute is forcing you to put in extra hours so you can get your own work done.The solution: If your boss is in a bind and needs your help, stepping up is the right thing to do and can earn you valuable bonus points. Above all, you don’t want to leave her hanging. However, if these situations arise regularly, to the point where they begin to interfere with your regular assignments, you may need to start pushing back.
Refusing to lend a hand in a crisis will only make you look bad. The next time your boss approaches you seeking emergency assistance, you might say, “Of course — I’ll help. But, as you know, I’ve had to cover for others a lot lately, and it’s affecting my other work. Once we get through this project, can we talk about how to better accommodate these types of requests in the future?”
Unreasonable deadline
The situation: Your supervisor has just asked you to complete something you know you can’t deliver in the desired timeframe. But you realise you’re the best person for the task, and you don’t want to disappoint your boss. The gears in your mind start whirring furiously, “Maybe if I push these other assignments to the back burner, skip this afternoon’s meeting and work overtime, I could make it happen. At least, I think so.”The solution: Stop. If it will take moving the stars and the moon to meet a deadline, you need to have a conversation with your manager. Tell your manager, “I’m happy to work on this, but I’m worried about the deadline you set. Is there any flexibility there?” Then, explain why you feel the timing will be problematic.
Working late again
The situation: The boss in Office Space asks his employees to work ridiculous hours, and it’s a running joke in the film. However, in real life, when your manager has the same expectation, it’s not so amusing.The solution: Most professionals understand that there will be times when they must stay late, come in early or take work home to meet key deadlines and objectives. But when these requests become routine, you should speak up. Putting in extra hours every day can quickly lead to burnout.
You might say to your manager, “I know we’re all working a lot of extra time. I must be honest, though, and tell you that these hours are becoming difficult for me to maintain. Will we need to keep this pace much longer? If so, could we talk about ways that might help me achieving a better work/life balance during this period?” — Agencies
