How to Professionally Say "NO" to Your Boss

The word "no" alone is a negative affirmation, but is there a positive and effective way to say "no" to something your boss asks you to do? The answer is "YES", there are several ways, actually. In order to decline your boss' demands without bringing unnecessary heat on yourself you will need to have tact, present alternatives, a good reason why you are saying "no" and a white flag.

For starters, you will approach your "no" with a "yes". The reason behind this science is that you want to trick your boss with your response. You see, when you say "yes" in his mind and subconscious that's what he heard first. A good example of how this works would be, "Yes, I'd love to help with that spreadsheet. Unfortunately, another customer has already taken up all my time."

Be strategic when you word your refusal. Instead of saying "I Can't" say "it's not possible". By doing this your boss will perceive your refusal as it being because the situation is beyond your control, instead of making yourself sound like you just said "no".

Watch your body language including your facial expressions. Your body language should back up the "yes" answer even if you are saying "no". Don't get stiff and tense, instead lose your arms and keep them open, like in a welcoming position. Also, make sure that your posture comes across as pleasant and honest instead of annoyed and defensive.

Give your boss a good reason why it's in his best interest to let you pass on the task he wanted to assign to you. Convey to him that you are working on another project that has a strict deadline, and if you add an extra task your project might suffer and you might not be able to finish by the time necessary.

Unless your boss is asking you to do something that is considered inappropriate, saying "It's not part of my job description" isn't a good reason to refuse doing something your boss asks of you, in fact an answer like that one will only put you on the black list in anything.

If being slammed with work isn't something that causes your boss to retract from assigning the task to you, go to plan B. Provide an alternative, but be specific about it. For example, you can suggest that someone else takes on the task with you overseeing the project to ensure a good job.

Another option is playing the "guilt-trip" card. You can say something like "I apologize for not being able to come in on Saturday. But I will make sure to cancel any plans with my kids next weekend so I can come in and help with this project" Can you think of someone that would get angry at that?