• hace 3 años
In our eagerness to please and prove our worth, we accept all or almost all the proposals that are made to us at the labor level: yes, I will write the report –even if it is not my job-; Yes, I will go to the meeting with the supplier –even if it is outside of my working hours-; yes, I'll have a drink with my colleagues –even if I'm so tired that I just want to get home-…. You feel identified? So, you must learn to say NO at work.

Techniques for learning how to say no at work
How can we learn to say No at work?

There are different strategies that help us to reject a proposal with assertiveness, reconciling that desire for acceptance with our values, interests and needs:

Sandwich technique

Like a snack, this strategy is made up of three parts. In the first place, it is about introducing the subject in question in an empathic way, thanking the other person who has thought of us. Afterwards, we get to the bottom of the matter, transferring to the interlocutor our refusal to accept his invitation, always assertively and briefly, adding some reason that justifies our position. Finally, we close the sandwich with another positive comment that leaves a good taste in the mouth of the conversation. As an example, in the case of receiving a proposal to take on a new project, this strategy could materialize as follows: “Thank you very much for thinking of me for this new initiative; I am very proud that you trust me (first phase). However, at the moment, I have a lot of work to do and I would not like to take on more functions than I can carry out with the required diligence (second phase). However, I hope that in the not too distant future we can collaborate together, because it will be a pleasure to work with you (third phase).


Broken record technique

Sometimes we can find a very insistent proponent for whom a ‘No’ is not enough through the previous system. In these cases, the most convenient thing is to remain firm in the refusal, always answering with the same premise until the interlocutor gives up. "I'm sorry but I can not"; "I'm sorry, but it's impossible for me"; "I understand what you are proposing, but this is not the time" ...

Fog bank technique

When we believe that the other person is going to have a negative reaction to our rejection, we can use this strategy to learn how to say No at work. It consists of expressing an agreement with the interlocutor, and then adding the 'No'. For example, a coworker invites us out for a drink when leaving the office. Using this technique, we can respond: “It seems like a great plan, really, but I can't; I already have commitments ”.

Alternative technique

Another system with which to learn to say No at work is to provide options to the proponent, proposing another solution or modifying some of the conditions.


Discover more in this video.