Say "Yes" to the Person, "No" to the Task Video

Do you have a habit of always saying "yes" to keep people happy?

Generosity is a great career skill, but when you take on too much you risk burning out, missing deadlines, and letting people down.

Managing and prioritizing your task list is essential for maintaining positive work relationships. But how do you set boundaries   without appearing unhelpful?

The trick is to use negotiation to make sure that your and others' needs are still met.

Discover how you can say "yes" to the person and "no" to the task by asking yourself these three simple questions:

1: "What does this person really need?"

First, get to the root of the issue by working out their priorities, and if there's any room for flexibility. For example, if they need an urgent report, would a rough draft do for the time being?

2: "How else can this person's needs be met?"

Find ways to approach the problem from a different angle. Maybe someone else in your team has the skills and time to complete the task?

3: "How can I support this person to make sure that their needs are met?"

If you're not able to help in the moment, work together to define the larger goal and find a mutually beneficial solution.

The key to any successful negotiation   is communication. Be honest about why you may not be able to complete the task, and have an open discussion about how to tackle the problem.

By honing your powers of negotiation and communicating clearly ​you can maintain strong working relationships without compromising your own needs!

Find out more with our accompanying article, "Yes" to the Person, "No" to the Task   .