Alternatives to "No"

The best project managers learn to say “no” without actually using the word “no.”  “No” has an air of finality and dis-empowers the team.  It is also a good idea to avoid phrases like “Yes, but …”  There are some better ways to express negativity.

Try some of these alternative phrases instead:

• Yes, and in exchange, I will need “x.” Will that work? (say yes and get something in return)
• I’m worried about “x” now, so would “y” and “z” work instead? (suggest alternatives)
• Given “x,” how would you like me to proceed? (point out a downside to “yes” and get input)
• Would you please help me prioritize these actions? (support the priority of a “yes” to be considered)
• May I make an alternative suggestion? (a more direct way to suggest alternatives)

Similarly, setting arbitrary limits and constraints can be equally challenging.  Rather than set a limit, take other approaches.  For example, in frustration, a manager may want to set a limit on the number of issues that can be reported.  Instead of a limit, consider these alternative actions:

• Define multiple categories for issues and clearly define what goes in each “bucket”
• Specify time frames for addressing items in each category
• When there are more issues than you can handle, you can either wait it out or bring in more resources
• If a higher number of issues than expected happens for a prolonged period, you can re-think quality plans and re-define priorities

Almost any limit can be avoided by more finely dividing up the target of the limit.

Using these techniques will empower the team and establish you as a respected and trusted leader.