Virtually every single work day, business owners and other related professionals are approached with requests to provide services, donations and other assistance. This comes from employees, family, friends, community groups, associations, and other viable entities. Not that these requests aren’t important or that each should not be fulfilled; but, often the requests come at times of inconvenience or monetary challenges. Not wanting to say no or cause unnecessary “hard feelings”, the business complies. Afterwards, “givers remorse” sets in and stress appears. All those around the business owner, manager or key executive suffer from the consequences. How would it feel if there was a way to address these matters and maintain sanity and good will by saying “no”? Guess what? There is hope.

When faced with those commitment moments and to avoid “givers remorse”, try the following simple tips to best address the 3 most sought requests that business and their leaders face:

• Dealing with demanding time employees: When approached by employees and the situation is not a really critical issue (someone has died; fallen; walked out; been attacked, etc.), respond, 
  
  “John/Mary, I feel your inquiry deserves some critical time. Let’s schedule 20 or 30 minutes later today or early tomorrow to discuss your issue. I want to be sure that I can give you 100% of my attention.”
  
  This accomplishes a couple of key things:
• It lets the employee know that you value them and that you are committed to meeting them one-on-one to address the concern. This builds respect and also builds loyalty. 
• It gives you the time you need to complete the task you want; gather your thoughts and unwind so that you can devote the time you need and also to allow the employee to think as well. Another reality is that you can use the session as a possible developmental opportunity should the question or need be one that the employee should be able to perform without your involvement. They will soon learn and word will spread with others as to your commitment and also that perhaps they really did not have an immediate need.
  
  
• Addressing the community need to serve on committees or lead an effort. First, involvement in the community is very important but there is a limit to what one individual can do. When approached by an entity requesting help at a time you consciously do not want to get involved, try the following response.
  
  “John/Mary words can not describe my thanks for asking me to get involved in this effort. I am honored that you feel I could help. My challenge right now is that I am in a work/life balance issue and with my business demands and home needs, I can not accept any other commitments. What would happen if you were to brainstorm and approach someone else for this effort and get back with me in six months or a year about helping in another way? That way I would be able to provide the commitment needed for an effort.”
  
  This allows the committee recruiter to leave with hope that you will consider helping in the future and allows you time to focus on critical needs in the immediate critical timeframe.
  
  
• Addressing requests for donations. There are many community efforts and prudent business people desire to help in virtually every circumstance possible. However, it is draining to comply with each request and pulls on the “heart strings” to turn requests down. Too often the requester feels as though you simply do not care when in fact you do. Next time you have those monetary challenges, try this response:
  
  “Thank you for contacting us about this need. Nothing is more vital to us than being able to help when possible. Since we want to do our best to assist whenever we can, we have had to institute a new process on how we handle donations. We take our planned donations for the year and break those out into quarters. We deduct our long-term support such as the United Way as an example and then allocate our dollars for each quarter. It is then set on a first come, first serve basis as to our ability to provide donations. At the current time, we have allocated all available dollars and items and cannot help. Would it be convenient for you to reconnect with us next quarter or the following quarter so that we can do our best to give you consideration?”
  
  If this does not work, you can also use: “Again, I am sorry we can not help this year, but would you consider contacting us before year-end about next year’s campaign?”
  
  This is a tough area, but with this approach you are not saying absolutely no. You are providing options and reasons. This most often should keep you on good terms in any community effort. One final note on this matter. You may also offer the following:
  
  “We apologize for not being able to help now; but, may we publicize your effort in or from our office?”
  
  This goes to show your support and empathy and often can be of great benefit to the requester as well as keeping your business involved.

Saying “no” is never easy. However a “yes” said under pressure and without complete passion and commitment is worse than a “no’ said with regrets. The bigger issue falls on the side of establishing your business and yourself as a functioning entity of truthfulness, professionalism and high ethical practice. By having a process of saying “no” that allows those impacted to understand the why; maintain critical hope for the future; and, have a feeling that you really care, you and your business will maintain and grow its value in the community.

Give these simple tips a try. It will take some practice but you will gain from the experience. Saying “no” is not that difficult. It is living a wrong “yes” that can have the greater impact. 

ENERGY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

What do you feel it takes to become a dynamic, motivational leader? What would be the impact on your business, career or personal life when you achieve this?

The Energy Leadership Development Program enables you to know where you are in this process and then access and address the issues standing in your way of success. This program will allow you to explore the 8 Building Blocks of the Energetic Leader: Emotional Intelligence; Dynamic Communication; Influencing and Engaging Others; Problem Solving; Productivity and Decision Making; High Energy Relationships; Health and Wellness; and, Time Management and Balance. 

The result of being involved in this program: more production, less effort and more fulfillment. 

This is a 16-week program designed to help you tap into your unlimited potential. It shows you how to get more of what you want out of life by teaching you how to manifest what you want, and helping you raise your consciousness. There are many personal development programs out there, but this one is unique, as it teaches you how to change who you are at your core, and provides you support as you do so. Each week, you’ll be listening to one of the CDs in the program, as well as completing exercises in the workbook and doing other assignments that are mutually decided as beneficial for you. A journal is included in your Law of Being kit; you may use this to record your thoughts and/or write down how you did on the “this week” activities that are found throughout the workbook.

Completing this program will help you unlock your unlimited potential and build the new YOU that enables your life and career to gain more balance and meaning.  

Please Email me for more information.

 So let me ask you a question, 

“Have you ever held back from doing something because it was too risky?”

We probably all have done that at one time or another.

Taking a chance usually means we have something to lose,
and many of us shy away from losing.
Let’s face it, no one wants to lose. 

Still, taking chances is an integral part of life, 
and if we want our lives to change for the better, 
we have to become more aware of what we are willing and not willing to risk.

I have a special offer for you this month.

Try my Self-Study Coaching Program

Courage, Risks and Rewards

for just $3.99

This is only being offered for a limited time and only to subscribers.