I recently read this …Tom Holland’s piece of advice he got from Elizabeth Olsen….and I can wholeheartedly attest to the power of this…. it was….

“‘No’ is a full sentence…no is enough.” 

So often, we feel like we can’t say no. We feel like we have to say yes to everything. But I will tell you that a big secret to success is the ability to say no. Why is it so powerful? Here are the practical applications where it’s worked for me….

1. When someone comes to me with an idea….but I know it will be a disaster. You know, it’s something to build employee morale….something that’s going to take a million hours and benefit a very few. It would be so easy to say yes.  No.
2. When someone asks me to participate in something I’m not interested in. No. I won’t do a great job, and there’s a good chance I’ll have to spend more time trying to figure out how to get out of it. No.
3. When someone comes to me with what they think is a really good strategy: like emailing the boss of their boss about something they want to vent about…3 pages worth. No.
4. When someone offers you a job or an assignment, and while there are parts of it you like, overall, you’re not loving it. No.
5. When someone comes to me to try to change my mind. I’ll listen, I’ll consider the facts, but I’m going to make the final call. Accountability means I don’t get to blame anyone other than myself if it goes south. No.

Of course, how you deliver the ‘No’ needs finesse and a smile. But at the end of the day, it’s still ‘No’. Here’s a good test: after you say “no”, are you relieved? Then it’s the right call. My experience with that litmus test? Every. Single. Time.