Last week I started sharing how to become a great high growth leader. The truth is these successful people have figured out the secret of working smarter, rather than harder. This week I will share with you another tip which drives their success – saying no!
A drain of time for most of us is the things that we commit to out of feelings of obligation, unassertiveness, or just not thinking through how much time it will take. Sometimes we say “yes” impulsively just to feel like we’ve answered the email and check it off our list. What is more, as your success increases the opportunities and requests from others also increase! Even if your intentions are good, taking on too much leads to stress, frustration and ineffectiveness. Successful people know that you have to give up some opportunities and potential rewards to honour your commitment to your highest priorities. Sometimes you even have to disappoint other people. This is easier to do if you give yourself permission to be “good enough”, rather than perfect. A final thought, remember “your success is determined more by what you say no to versus what you say yes to.”