Your team comes to you to present their idea. You know they are passionate about it, you know they spent many hours to put it together, and are excited to share it with you.
But from your standpoint, you know it’s a “No.” But it seems so difficult to tell them so. A hundred thoughts come to you: “What if it makes me sound bossy?” “How to make them think it’s a fair decision?”
I’ve been on both sides: pitched to and presented with ideas. Hearing “No” is not easy, and saying “No” doesn’t bring much pleasure either. So how do you say “No” to your team in a way that not only doesn’t sound bossy but also earns you respect?
Here are a few steps you can follow:
- Before the presentation: Be upfront about priorities
We all have limits in an organization—maybe limited time, resources, budget, etc. And it’s OK to let people know you have priorities.
In fact, having a clear agenda before any meeting makes it more productive. For example:
Team: “We have an idea about XYZ we’d like to talk you about.”
You: “Interesting. I think you should know that our current priorities are ABC. Anyway, let’s discuss more details next Friday.”
Let’s analyze this conversation:
- You are transparent about the criteria you need to take into consideration (“Our priorities are…”), so you and your team are on the same page.
- You give them a chance to pre-evaluate their idea to see if it fits into the current organization’s priorities and you also give them a chance to present their idea.
- During the presentation: Be a good listener
You probably don’t want to hear “No” before you ever had the chance to state your case. So don’t do that to your team. Listen carefully and ask questions, even if you know the answer is “No.” When I say “being a good listener,” I mean no cellphone, no computer screen, no keyboard, no interruption during the conversation. When you do this:
- You make a point of listening and showing your respect to their initiatives.
- You allow yourself to be exposed to new ideas.
- When you say “No,” you still can acknowledge the elements that are worth considering in the future. Simply say, “No, and here’s what I think we can explore in the future.”
But there’s something to keep in mind: Timing is rarely right. So you should always consider if that’s something that with a little tweaking can turn a “No” to a “Yes.”
3. After the presentation: Follow up with a personal conversation
Like any difficult conversation, when you say “No” to your team’s idea, a personal follow-up is a must. When you do this, you show them you really thought about the discussion, and you encourage new ideas and initiatives like this in the future.
Bottom line: Small gestures will go a long way.
Siwei Dodge helps companies and their future leaders to tackle tricky/difficult workplace situations, so they can be more confident and productive in any situation and by doing so boosting company’s bottom line. You can reach her at www.siweidodge.com or siweidodge@gmail.com.
