Check out this week’s blog to discover how you can say no and still be the good guy.

You want and should serve others. However, where do you draw the line?

Face it. Even when you want to, you don’t have the time to handle every request or favor, and others need to respect your boundaries. Spending time and energy on your business and personal life is essential to achieving your goals, though you need a happy medium.

If you have trouble refusing a request or favor, here are a few simple tips you can do:

1. Learn the art of the “Nice No”.

You don’t have to be aggressive or rude to refuse to do something that is inconvenient or unpleasant.
There are numerous ways to say no. The best way to say no and still be considered a nice guy is to be direct, polite, and calm.

You don’t need to make an excuse or explain yourself; simply refuse nicely and firmly.

If you find it difficult to say no, create an all-purpose script that says, “No, doing X isn’t possible today/this week/that night.” That’s all there is to it. Make it fit your personality, but keep it short, sweet, and polite.

2. Stop apologizing.

Stop the apology reflex; the first step is to quarantine the word “sorry” and use it only when necessary. Pushovers use ‘sorry’ as a defensive weapon, saying, “Don’t hit me for not doing what you want.” Sorry takes away your power and places you at fault in what should be a no-fault situation.

Never say “you are sorry” unless you actually did something; then, it is more meaningful and sincere when you actually mean it.

Be cautious; apologizing indicates powerlessness which invites the other person to keep pushing to see if you’ll give in. Maintain a straightforward, polite, and respectful refusal. And don’t apologize!

3. Make a concession.

There is a fine line between being a softie and being unreasonable.

If a client asks you to accept an offer, look at a situation from every angle to determine if it is feasible. To get the job done, every team member must sometimes go above and beyond their job description.

If the request is not feasible or if you otherwise do not want to accept the offer, suggest an alternative.

You get to decide whether or not accepting the offer adds value. Consider the other person’s needs and try to find a happy medium where everyone wins!

Running a successful business requires courage and wisdom, and you will need both when dealing with customers or other business owners.

Do you know what else makes you a winner? The Business Untangled System! You can have less stress, pay less tax and make and keep more money!

Call Business Untangled today and maximize your time and resources towards profitability!