Tag Archives: Request

How Do You Say “No”? Four Suggestions

Situation: A CEO has employees who frequently show up in his office with a request that he solves a problem for them. This takes up the time that he needs to solve bigger picture issues. He’s also concerned that employees should be able to solve these problems themselves. What tactics have others used to address this issue? How do you say “no”?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Don’t say “no.”
    • Saying “no” discourages future questions and reduces communication. Instead, answer their question with a question. Help them to see the next step in the process of solving the problem themselves.
  • What questions do you ask?
    • What do you think is the best solution?
    • Have you tried X, Y, Z?
    • Encourage them to use their peers as resources.
    • Focusing on #2 and #3, may give them insight into solving #1.
    • Have you spoken to (name) about this. (Name) may be able to help.
  • Another good response – “I can’t help you right now. Why don’t you try to solve it and I’ll follow-up with you when I can.”
  • It may be difficult to learn how to say no. Instead work on helping others to understand what you know about a particular technology or issue. Just ask questions to show them how to approach the problem, and then let them work through it.
    • This will take more time than “doing it yourself” at the beginning. However, they will rapidly gain more comfort working through issues and options on their own and will also gain both confidence and competence. Long-term it will save you time.

[like]

How Do You Add a New Capability? Four Approaches

Situation: A CEO reports that customers frequently ask whether the company can deliver a service that isn’t current in their portfolio of capabilities. In a substantial number of cases, the ability to offer this service is a key factor in their choice of vendors. The company’s experience with outside consultants offering this capacity has been disappointing. How do you add a new capability?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Reevaluate the company’s needs and assess whether these can be better meet by bringing this capability in-house, or by restructuring how the company works with contractors. Determine whether the latter is just a negotiation and contract / payment problem.
  • Take a closer look at how the company contracts and creates incentives for outside contractors. Do they have performance objectives written into their contracts that reward them for meeting contract commitments? Can they earn bonuses for beating contract deadlines or exceeding design requirements? Are there penalties them for missing key deadlines?
    • Is it clear whether contractors are missing deadlines because of the “creative process,” because they don’t use their time efficiently, or because they have other commitments that take precedence at the company’s expense?
    • If the answer is either of the two latter situations, then contract adjustments may work. Similarly, if they have an incentive to be more creative faster to meet a bonus deadline a contract adjustment could also work to the company’s benefit.
    • Another option in working with independents is to make it clear that the company is generous, but if the contractor does not meet deadlines, they go to the bottom of the list for future opportunities.
  • An option is to hire one specialist and challenge them to grow a practice within the company. This may mean that they have to do all tasks early on, but the potential win will be the opportunity to grow a significant business and hire a team to do the lower-level work under their direction.
  • Another option – bring on a creative problem solver with appropriate experience who can support the existing team, but who will have more flexibility than a pure specialist.

[like]