Learning to effectively use one two-letter word can change your business communications for the better. Surprisingly, that word is “no.”
As collaborators, colleagues and problem solvers, many business communicators shy away from using the word no, and jump at the chance to fulfill tactical requests. “Please draft this script.” “Can you send a Tweet out on this?” “Do we have time to make a video?” Our answer is often, “Of course.”
Sometimes, however, the request isn’t a smart fit with your client’s communication objective. Then, the hardest (and easiest) answer is appropriate: No. When you’re confident your client’s tactic won’t deliver on their objectives – or you have a more effective solution – uttering that powerful word can quickly earn you credibility and trust. Keep in mind:
- “No” doesn’t work if you don’t have a better solution or recommendation. Show your leader or business partner how they’ll be able to save money, time or be more effective by taking another approach. Whether it’s a mock-up, a wireframe, a rough draft or a storyboard, give them a tangible example of how your solution has successfully worked in other scenarios, and how it could potentially work/look for them.
A client once came to me requesting support on a PDF newsletter. I declined the opportunity, but steered her to a digital platform that was interactive, could be built to sit behind her intranet firewall and was mobile-friendly. She loved the solution, and CommsLede got the gig.
- “No” doesn’t usually work if your timeline is tight. Pick your pushback carefully. If your leader has promised a speech draft to a third party by tomorrow, now might not be the best time to counsel them against giving the speech. (Unless you really, really know it’s a bad idea.) That said, after you deliver on their request, schedule a brief meeting with him or her, where you can share your concerns and align on a vetting process moving forward. It’s easier to have productive conversations when you’re not on deadline, and a formal process can prevent last-minute drama in the future.
- “No” won’t work if you don’t have the trust of your leader or business partner. Without your client’s trust, a negative response can not only tarnish your reputation as a collaborator, it can create more work later on. (I knew one naysayer who said “no” so quickly and so often, her internal business partners started bypassing her and going straight to her manager. Ultimately, she was left with egg on her face and a pile of work.) When your partners hear “no” upfront, they need to trust you and understand it’s for strategic reasons, not because you’re afraid of the work.
A go-getter by nature, I’m all for jumping in and getting things done. But sometimes clients and business partners are so focused on their tactical requests, they lose sight of their communication objectives. By clarifying what they are trying to achieve, and then carefully guiding them to the strategic communications solutions that will best serve them, you’ll sometimes win bigger by initially telling them “no.”
