5 Effective Ways To Say 'NO' Politely

Do you often end up in uncomfortable and messy situations which you could have totally avoided if you had said no?
Whether it is at work or in personal relationships, saying no isn’t always easy—but it’s often necessary. When your colleague asks you to take on a project at office but you don’t have the bandwidth for it, being able to push back without working them up is a valuable skill. Likewise, if your friends are insisting on an evening out and you just aren’t feeling up to it, knowing how to decline politely keeps things from creating a rift in your relationships.

So, what should one do in these situations? How to say 'No' politely. Although doing it is tricky, it can save you a tonne of anxiety and trouble.
Here are 5 ways you can say ‘no’ politely:

* Cushion it with kindness or compliment

Saying a bland no may leave the recipient feeling rebuffed. Instead, choose to cushion your no with a compliment, and do so in a gentle tone. The idea here is to give the recipient a few words to feel good about despite the rejection. Saying things like, “I’m honoured that you would consider me, but I can’t.” or “Thank you so much for thinking of me, but I can't!” or “This sounds like a great opportunity, but I have to pass. Thank you for considering me!” can help you avoid trouble.

* Give your reasons

Besides compliments, another thing the person you’re saying no to might appreciate is knowing why. Sometimes being candid about your constraints is the best way out. Phrases like these can help. “Sorry, I’m booked into something else. I really wish there were two of me.” Or “This is a sweet pitch, but our organization doesn’t have a budget for this kind of project right now.”

* Be brief but not rough

You don’t always have to explain yourself when telling someone no. Still, it’s often more considerate to provide a straight-up no rather than a non-response, because leaving people wondering tends to read as thoughtless.
And while it’s generally wise to keep this type of message brief, it’s possible to be a bit too short. “Sadly, I have something else.” Or “Sorry, but I have another commitment.” Or “Thank you for thinking of me for this assignment. I can’t take more work on right now, but please keep in touch.”
The words “right now” in that last example suggest you might be open to other assignments down the road; saying so politely helps keep your options open in the meantime.

* Leave room for possibility

Sometimes, you don’t want to say “no” so much as “not now.” When you say something like “I’m sorry I can’t do it,” you risk closing the conversation altogether. Instead, choose not to close the door on that conversation. Saying something like, “I would love to do it but unfortunately not is not a good time. Can we do it some other time?” will help you leave room for possibility of the same conversation at a later point in time.

* Offer an alternative

While your answer might be no, it is only courteous to occasionally help out the recipient in some other way—by suggesting another time or a different option, perhaps. For example, “I can’t take the weekend shift this time but I can cover for you on Monday if you need.” Or “I’m sorry I can’t take any more work at the moment but I do know someone who can help you out with this. Shall I introduce you?”

Saying no is an essential part of life. While you don’t necessarily need to offer an alternative to the other person, taking time to express yourself kindly is very much worth it!