I said “no” this week. I didn’t want to say no. I’m a people-pleaser by nature, and the invitation was one that I genuinely wanted to accept. But I said no, nonetheless. As painful as it was to let one opportunity go, I received immediate positive results from my decision that reinforced the power of saying no. First, the process of empowering myself to say no has been a long one. It began by accepting that while I’d like to be everything to everyone, I acknowledge that saying yes to everyone else means I’m often saying no to myself. I … Read More
When a Leader Says No
‘No’ is a word that holds incredible power. The word itself is short, strong, and impossible to ignore. However, as social individuals who are inclined to find opportunities to please and support one another, wielding such a powerful word is both difficult and rare. Saying the word ‘no’ makes many people uncomfortable. The fear of disappointing or angering another individual often forces individuals to say yes to things that they don’t want to do. In the end, we say yes to far too much and become bitter and burnt out due to that one word. It’s a problem that must … Read More