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How Learning to Say ‘No’ Can Improve Your Business

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saying no can improve your business
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The word “no” is a unique word that despite its negative connotations, is capable of positive consequences when used correctly. For example, when someone asks you to do something you don’t want to do, and you say no, you immediately know that someone is unhappy with such a response. However, in your mind, it feels like a positive outcome, because you’ve prevented yourself from doing something you don’t want to do.

But, saying no sometimes isn’t always that easy, it can feel rude and blunt. When it comes to business, learning to say ‘no’, can actually improve your business more than you may think. Customers and other businesses will often try to get the better of you, whether they try to drive down prices or try to secure discounts and deals. That’s the nature of business; everyone wants to cut costs to make their business more profitable.

But why should you sacrifice your business to enhance someone else’s profitability? You shouldn’t, and that’s when it’s time to say no. Well, don’t just say no, provide sound reasoning and an explanation, so people understand why. If you don’t offer a reason, you just look like your being stubborn and narrow-minded.

We have all been in those situations where there is no explanation to the response you’ve been given, and you can’t stop yourself from wondering why. Give your staff, customers and clients good reason for saying no and they will accept your answer. They may not like it, but they will come to understand it at least. It shows you have taken into account their proposition, but you have good reason to decline.

Saying ‘No’ to Benefit Profitability

Saying no to clients and customers is something that is not generally well accepted in the business world. But, by accepting customer propositions for deals and discounts, you’re setting a dangerous precedent, and decreasing the likelihood of your revenue targets being reached.

Often saying yes to your clients, will hurt your profits and will reduce the level of motivation you have to sell products at the right price and the time you have in which to do so. Say no to customers in the first instance; if you relent, then there’s a good chance, that won’t be the last time something will be asked of you.

If you want to go above and beyond for your clients without them asking, that’s one thing, since it’s all in the name of excellent service, but don’t be tempted to doll out favours, it seldom ends well.

“Half of the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough.” – Josh Billings

Using “No” to Enhance the Working Environment

When you say no to someone, it psychologically puts you further out of reach of the person asking you for something, and you are showing them that you have the confidence to say no. Providing a reason will reinforce your stance, while also satisfying the other person with an explanation which they are less likely to argue with.

However, you don’t want to create a bad working environment by always saying no. It is vital to always come up with an alternative if you don’t feel comfortable agreeing to the proposition. Don’t be stubborn though, if someone genuinely has a good suggestion, do what’s best for the business. It goes to show you are a team player, and they are more likely to respect your decisions in the future.

Saying No to a Superior

When someone above you has given you a task to complete within a specific time frame, and it’s impossible to get it finished, it can be disheartening and harmful to the business. Saying no to those in positions of authority may be daunting, but sometimes it needs to be done.

Tell them why it’s not possible to complete the task in the allotted time frame. You’ll then be able to work together to come up with a solution. Also, you as a worker, will be more satisfied with the time frame given and be more motivated to complete the task

Saying no to someone higher than you in the business hierarchy can be of enormous benefit to the business. You don’t want management to make plans based around their expectations of you only to find that it simply isn’t achievable, as this will set back what they had planned. So, it is important that you are honest when providing input.

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” – Steve Jobs

Why Do People Say Yes?

People normally say yes to please others but trying to please everyone can weigh you down as it eventually becomes difficult to meet their expectations. If you’re unsure about saying yes or no, think about whether saying yes could:

  • Reduce the likelihood of profitability
  • Diminish your reputation as an appropriate management figure
  • Decrease staff morale and respect levels
  • Clients/customers start to take advantage of your generosity

Ultimately, the ability to say no can lead to staff respecting you and let customers know where the line is, and all while reducing the impact on revenue. Saying “no” can put you in a position of power!

Do you struggle saying no to people? If so, have you found a way to help you learn to say no and potentially improve your life? Share your stories with us below!

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Success Advice

How Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success

Your life is dictated by beliefs and biases that drive your thinking, behaviors, and decisions

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Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success (1)
Image Credit: Midjourney

Pause for a moment and ponder two pandemic-era beliefs: First, closing schools will control the spread of a serious virus. Second, the consequences of such school closures—particularly social interruption and the prevention of immunity—are worse than becoming sick with the virus. (more…)

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Success Advice

How to Break the Cycles of Mediocrity and Manifest Your Greatness

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity

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Image Credit: Midjourney

In just a few weeks, we will be wrapping up 2023. Can you believe it? This year has been absolutely incredible for me.

I have seen amazing doors opened, new relationships formed and I am seeing dreams realized in my life. While this seems like the hallmarks of a great year, this has also been the most challenging year of my life. With all of the change happening in my life, I have been forced out of my comfort zone and challenged to grow in every area of my life.

I can truly say that I have made the most of my moments this year and I have used everything as a catalyst for maximizing my greatest potential.

As a revolutionary leader, I have the pleasure of consulting and advising leaders around the world to fulfill purpose, realize their greatest potential and make an impact.

I want to share some insights with you that will help you to break cycles of mediocrity and manifest your greatness

Everything legal must come through the matrix

I am sure that some of you are wondering why I am using the term matrix. However, what you have to understand is that I am trying to make a highly complex spiritual principle practical to understand.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, every life has an origin and I believe that origin is divine and begins with eternity. You are birthed from eternity and into time to fulfill a unique purpose and assignment in your lifetime and generation.

The matrix is simply the portal or vehicle that brings something out of the invisible realm and into tangible form. The problem with much of the teaching today is that it excludes the matrix. We are told to believe that success is instantaneous and overnight.

Nobody talks about how a dream progresses through stages beginning with visualization and ultimately culminating in manifestation. Without a matrix or portal then everything that you attempt to birth and build will be illegal.

The matrix not only makes you legal but it gives you the authority and power to function as the greatest expression of who you were created to be. 

Every matrix has an incubation process

While many people admire and respect me today, I remember a time when nobody knew who I was or the significance of my message. How did I get to where I am today? I got here through an incubation process.

In other words, everything that has been destined for your life is incubating and awaiting a set time of manifestation. The problem is that most people live their entire lives idle and never initiate the incubation process.

What do I meany by that? Most people are living reckless and very few people are living intentionally. I am amazed at the number of people I have conversations with that have no vision, goals or strategies for their lives. They show great promise and they have undeniable potential.

However, without development they will die with their dreams still in them.

Everything that has been destined for your life must be incubated and converted to become realities born to time. 

“Visualize this thing that you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin to build.” – Robert Collier

You must give expression to that which is not yet born to time

When you think about a matrix or a prophetic incubation process, you have to understand that potential is often unrealized and untapped. In other words, your potential is in raw form and your potential cannot serve you as long as it is untapped.

The thing that makes me valuable is that I have the ability to convert potential into power. I have done it in my own life and I have empowered leaders around the world to do the same. How do you convert potential into power?

First, it is important to note that you have to perceive potential. If you cannot perceive your potential then you can never cultivate your potential. In addition, you must take the time to cultivate your potential. We often get excited about our capabilities; however, we never expand our capacity in order to realize our greatest potential.

In other words, the strength of your potential is only discovered through your willingness to stretch. The more we are challenged the more we are empowered to expand our capacity for greatness. Most of all, you must begin to express your potential. The expression of potential is different for every person.

For example, the expression of my potential is best demonstrated through the thoughts, ideas, products, services, books, etc.

For another person the expression of potential may look like a screenplay, artwork, sports, scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, etc.

Regardless of the form of expression, I know that you will live empty and unfulfilled until you make the decision to express your potential. The expression of your potential gives voice to your dreams, life to your vision, significance to your moments and activates your true power.

You must manifest your greatness

As a revolutionary thinker and leader, my work has impacted people around the world. I am grateful that my life is a source of empowerment to so many people. However, before anyone could ever benefit from my life, I had to make a non-negotiable decision to become who I was born to be.

I wish I could tell you that this journey is easy and that you will get there overnight. However, in a world that celebrates us for doing we are often criticized for being. As a result, I wasted a lot of time trying to be who other people wanted me to be instead of being who I was born to be.

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity. It is through our bravery to be vulnerable that we ultimately manifest our greatness. We do not bless the world by being a duplicate. We bless the world when we honor our difference. When you honor your difference you honor your potential.

Ultimately, your difference is how you manifest your greatness.

When you present anything but your authentic self to the world, you are playing small and you are robbing the world of your significance. Manifesting your greatness requires you to master your gifts.

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Success Advice

Here’s a Young Man’s Antidote for the Uncertainty of the Modern World

Why do a lot of young guys lack confidence in today’s world? 

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How to boost your confidence
Image Credit: Midjourney

We all have been told that confidence is a key factor in achieving success and happiness in life. But what is it exactly? (more…)

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Success Advice

Toxic Leadership: 5 Ways to Identify a Bad Leader

if you have a leader who displays any of the toxic traits, it’s time to move on to greener pastures.

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Toxic leadership
Image Credit: Midjourney

Let’s be honest, we’ve all crossed paths with a toxic leader in our careers at some point. Unfortunately, while some toxic leaders don’t even bother to hide their behaviour, some know very well how to conceal their true selves behind a strong-built facade. The latter is the most dangerous of the two. (more…)

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