A great deal of business advice suggests that we lead with yes. That means, in part, that we endeavor to say yes to every request and every opportunity that we are presented with in an effort to stay open to the pathways that might lead us to success. But is there a place for no in leadership?
Is there a benefit to saying no or declining what could be an opportunity, even if it means some doors are then closed to us? Is it ever okay to say no? No to a new piece of business, an expansion possibility or a colleagues’ idea? Absolutely!
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” Warren Buffett
Of course it is wise to remain open and positive to ideas and opportunities, but saying no can net us powerful gains too. When we exercise our option to say no, it can help us in a myriad of ways. Saying no helps us:
- Conserve energy
- Maintain our focus
- Follow proven paths to success
Conserving energy is about both our personal energy and the various resources available to our organization. Whether it's our time, our employees’ time or our money, what we have is finite. Even if we want to, we simply cannot do everything, all the time. As a leaders we need to dole these things out where they will net us the biggest gains. In saying no, sometimes we conserve our time and energy for opportunities that are more closely aligned with our goals.
Maintaining focus is about not spreading ourselves so thin we disappear. If we say yes to everything, will likely get nowhere because our efforts are too diluted. This is because real gains require effort and effort requires focus. Saying no is one way we define what is really important to us in part by making a choice not to do something else.
Following proven paths to success means that novel and new ideas are not always winners. All too often, business leaders spend so much time looking for the next best thing that they forget they have the proven last next best thing right in front of them. Sure try new things but your focus should be on growing your core competencies.
In business leadership, the option to say yes and no are two powerful tools at our disposal. You can be open to opportunities while still having a firm sense of where you are going and how you will get there. Saying no to some things and yes to others is what creates our vision and defines our path.
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