Saying No positively…..
04/02/2009
So, one of the reasons I came into HR was to say “no”…right? No! wrong! So why is it that I seem to spend half my time telling managers that they can’t do things?
What has happened to personal responsibility and collective leadership? I forgot…..we’re in a recession and so there are hard calls to be made, unpopular decisions. Isn’t it easier to project the negative onto someone else and who better that the HR team, because we never really trusted them did we….too many women.
“I really wanted to, but HR said I couldn’t promote you just because you always say yes to me” or how about “HR have told me that you can’t have the 25% pay rise that I promised you…..something about recession”.
Here are my ten favourite ways of saying No.
1) No
2)……No
3) NO!
4) Interesting…but no
5) Whilst on one hand you make a good point, on the other hand….no
6) I’m tempted to say yes…..but no
7) Let me reflect on that for a while…..no
‘8) What do you think I am going to say? Wrong….no
9) Normally I would say no and I’m pleased to tell you that everything is normal
10) Rearrange these letters to get your answer….O N
My Hell is Other People 
Here’s my favourite: “bugger off”.