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Saying ‘No’ at Work

Saying ‘No’ at Work

by | Nov 28, 2017 | Managing Yourself, World of Work

Being able to say ‘No’ at work, without sounding rude, or unenthusiastic, or lazy, isn’t always the easiest thing to do. But saying ‘yes’ to everything you are asked to do, even when you are already crumbling under work pressure isn’t the wisest thing to do either. It is possible to Saying ‘No’ politely and avoid getting pummeled with work that isn’t yours to take care of anyway. How? Read on to know.

  1. Do a cost-benefit analysis

    If the extra work that has come your way might be an exciting new project, which will add value to your profile, you might want to consider thinking about it. However, if it is something you feel is purely mechanical, and not worth taking on given your current work load – you may want to let it pass. Be objective about the work, and remember it is completely alright, and not selfish to think about it in this way. Taking something on purely under pressure isn’t going to benefit you in any way. Conversely, it may affect the quality of the work you deliver. Think about what you may have to gain or lose if you take on the extra work. If your pre-determined commitments are going to suffer because of the extra work, consider saying ‘no’ to it.

  2. Know your limits

    Not every project that you see as a value add, or as a ticket to that ever elusive promotion needs to earn a yes from you. It is better for your productivity and peace of mind to accomplish whole-heartedly what you already have on your plate, than taking on more than you can chew. An honest assessment of your existing work load is something you have got to do before saying yes to extra work. And if you feel that taking on the extra work is going to stretch you beyond your capacity, it isn’t worth saying yes to it.

  3. Be clear in your response

    If you do decide to say no, make sure that you don’t ‘hint’ at it, or leave the concerned person hanging. This could create misunderstandings and you will in all probability come across as unprofessional for something that wasn’t your mistake in the first place. However you choose to tackle the issue, be unambiguous about whether or not you are taking on the responsibility being offered.

  4. How you say ‘no’ matters

    How you say no is important because this could determine a lasting professional impression on you. Being polite, yet firm and absolutely ambiguous is of course the first thing you must understand. However, saying ‘no’ up front or directly may come across as rude. There are two ways of responding that almost always work.
    a) Saying – “I really wish I could help you out/ I would love to take this on, but unfortunately my week ahead is planned with the xxx project I am currently engaged with.”
    b) In case you are unsure, ask for some time and ensure you respond within the time frame you have mentioned. Saying, “I am unsure about taking this on given the current status of my existing commitments. However I sincerely want to help you with it. Could you give me until tomorrow to confirm if I can take this on?” is a great way of letting the other person know that you are not disinterested, however you may not have the bandwidth to take on the extra work at this point in time. So that’s a win-win situation for both parties concerned!

  5. Offer an alternative/ any help you can

    If you do genuinely wish you could help, but aren’t in a position to, offer ways that might make the job easier for the person concerned. If there are tools, or specific material the person may benefit from – share them. In case you can offer some quick guidance to make the job easier, offer it. Without stepping on anybody else’s foot, if you feel that the opportunity may be of benefit to someone else who might take on it and deliver, recommend their name. However, it would be best if you first checked with the person concerned, before making the recommendation. Doing the best you can by helping in whatever way you have the capacity to, establishes the fact that you aren’t shrugging off a responsibility, rather, you sincerely aren’t in a position to do more than you have offered to.

In the world of work, we are constantly faced with challenges. One of them is indeed how to say no, when you are already over burdened, or not interested in the extra work coming your way. We hope the factors we discussed in this post help you make your mind up next time you are faced with a similar situation!

5 Skills For Managers that Will Always be Relevant

5 Skills For Managers that Will Always be Relevant

by | Aug 29, 2017 | Leadership, Management

The learning never ends. No matter what level you are at in your profession, there will always be a skill that will help you do what you do better. To be able to continually better oneself, by working on your skill set and garnering skills is the secret to feeling truly accomplished and satisfied. Even when you are higher up in the hierarchy and are completely confident about your abilities , there are certain essential skills for managers that will always be indispensable for you. Have a look at what these forever relevant skills for managers are!

Skills for Managers – Communication

 The art of communication is the language of leadership. James Humes.

This quote summarizes in just a short sentence how important communication as a skill truly is, for effective management and leadership. More than just a skill, communication is an art that one can never learn enough about. As a manager, your success is not to be gauged by your individual progress. It is determined by the success of your team as a whole, with you at the helm. Your communication with your team, and how well you are able to get through to them, is one of the prime factors responsible for determining the success of the team. As a manager, your communication skills should set the example for the rest of the team to learn from!

Skills for Managers – Motivation

The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things. Ronald Reagan.

Being a manager and a leader has got everything to do with being able to motivate your team. Possessing motivational skills enables you to be able to maximize the potential of your team by make them believe they can. Even the under-performers can surprise you with great results, just with a bit of motivation. A good manager always believes in the true potential of his/her team. If the team isn’t performing well, the manager understands that the team as a whole, or individual players might need that extra push, namely Motivation.

Skills for Managers – Delegation

If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate. John C. Maxwell.

Delegation is one of the most important skills necessary for a successful manager and employer. Learning to delegate well is a skill, which if done wisely not only saves you time, but comes in handy in helping you build a very strong team. Delegation as a skill is not just a technique to free some of your time, it is much more than that. It is about learning how not to micromanage, and trust your people that they will deliver the tasks entrusted to them. Learning how to delegate effectively and efficiently is a continuous process and much about this skill is learnt via trial and error, and on the go. Two things though that form the cornerstone of this skill is attaching the elements of specificity and measurability to the tasks you delegate.

Skills for Managers – Diplomacy and Tact

Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip. Winston Churchill.

As a manager and a team leader, you will be faced with delicate situations almost on a daily basis. As you would already have learnt from your experiences, many of them will have the potential of eliciting your worst.  How do you put across your point and ensure you are heard, even in the most frustrating situations? Literally, when all you want to do is ask the other person to go to hell, but you cannot. And if you do, it can’t be good for you in any way.

This is where the skill of being diplomatic and tactful comes handy. This skill is not one that can be acquired easily, and takes years of practice and most of all, patience. But once you start putting it into practice you realize how indispensable it truly is. There will be difficult situations where you might feel like you are caught between the devil and the deep sea. And that is where the skills of diplomacy and tact act as your savior.

Skills for Managers – Balance

More than half of people who leave their jobs do so because of their relationship with their boss. Smart companies make certain their managers know how to balance being professional with being human. These are the bosses who celebrate an employee’s success, empathize with those going through hard times, and challenge people even when it hurts. Travis Bradberry.

Being able to maintain balance is a skill that takes years of focus and mindfulness. Reactions are the easiest way to emote. Balance and calm are the toughest to put into practice. Balance between what? Between being a manager and a human being. Very often, we seem to be caught up in the misconception that being kind and being professional can never go hand in hand. This quote by Travis Bradberry sums up beautifully how and why that is not a fact. Exceptional managers can be distinguished from ordinary managers on the basis of how they put into practice this skill. Because that’s when you stop becoming just a manager, and are also a leader.

Happy life-long learning, today and forever!

Worst Professional Mistakes to be Wary Of

Worst Professional Mistakes to be Wary Of

by | Mar 4, 2017 | Management, World of Work

How you grow as a professional is directly proportional to your conduct and the set of ethics you subscribe to. While it is true that there are quite a few gray areas even in the professional sphere – where nothing is really right or wrong, there are some things however which could be regarded as “mistakes”. And these professional mistakes will then go on to determine your career trajectory – in all probability not in a positive sense.
Learning is an ongoing process, and it is never too late to learn something new. So, no matter what stage you are at currently in your career, here are five professional mistakes we think are probably the biggest ones you could make at work.

Professional Mistake #1 – Choosing “pay” over “purpose”

Exceptions can be made to this point, however, we would say, not drastic exceptions. The whole thing about having a job that makes you happy, even though it doesn’t pay you much, well, it’s got some merit to it. Unless selling your soul to the company for the money it offers you is something you “have” to do, don’t do it. Choosing pay over purpose is something every professional will regret looking back. Save yourself the regrets and go forth with the purpose you feel passionately towards!

Professional Mistake #2 – Not resigning/ letting go with grace

At times, this isn’t easy. But it is always a necessity for you to quit as gracefully as possible because more than anything else, it reflects on your professionalism. Regardless of how vindictive and vengeful you might feel, or how complicated the reason for your resignation is, doing it with grace is something which might feel tough at that moment, but something you will later be proud of. How to resign with grace? Here is how.

Professional Mistake #3 – Being overly social/ un-social

Maintaining a balance between being friendly and professional is something most of us find difficult to achieve. Being overly social can make your behavior seem unacceptable for a professional space, while being extremely introverted will make you come across sometimes as arrogant or insolent. Unfortunately, even for those of us who don’t care about perceptions, it matters to be able to strike a balance and be friendly, at the same time, professional.

Professional Mistake #4 – Being known for being the late Kate/Ken

How you respect your own time, and others’ time is something that can truly define the trajectory of your career. Being known for being the late Kate/ Ken could be fatal. In the world of work, time is of utmost essence. And the people who succeed are the people who respect and believe in this principle.

Professional Mistake #5 – Giving in to office politics

Water-cooler conversations are tempting. And allow you to let some steam off. While this is true, it is very important to understand that inappropriate gossip has only one destination at your place – trouble. No matter how horrible your boss is, don’t give in to the temptation of back biting. Don’t encourage or indulge in unnecessary drama in the workplace.
Made some of these professional mistakes and learnt from them? Tell us what it was, and how you learnt!

How to Make Your Way Through Office Politics as an Introvert

How to Make Your Way Through Office Politics as an Introvert

by | Jan 14, 2017 | Managing Yourself, Office Etiquette, World of Work

The one occupational hazard you will have to deal with, no matter what your occupation is, is – office politics. Some look forward to it, consciously or subconsciously, as a form of entertainment, while some prefer to stay miles away from it. This post comes as help for those who belong to the second category – the introvert. Being an introvert a lot of times is misconstrued as being someone who is unsocial. Whereas, an introvert is simply a personality type who is more self-reflective, and prefers to mind his/her business thoroughly – while expecting others to not interfere in their lives.

Getting embroiled in office politics, is probably the worst situation an introvert could find himself/herself in. While you take all the caution not to land yourself in these situations, once you find yourself in one, what do you do? You need to understand and know how to deal with office politics, even though you choose not to play the game yourself. Here are three possible ways you could make your way through office politics:

1. Office Politics – Shut it Out

If you don’t mind it doesn’t matter, and at times, ignorance can be bliss. If you believe you have better things to do, and the situation is unnecessarily complicated for you and one that can be sidestepped, move on without feeling overwhelmed. It might affect your peace of mind to some extent since it wasn’t something you had anything to do with, and even so the repercussions seem to be hitting you. That however, is something you can choose to not let affect you. Shut it all out, and focus on channeling all your energies into being your awesome, productive self.

2. Office Politics – Clarify

Then there are the kind of situations, which even if you may ideally want to ignore, you can’t, and shouldn’t. These might be the kind of situations where are a lack of response from you may not exactly work in your favor. The second possible way for you to deal with a sticky situation at your workplace is to clarify your role (or the lack of your role) in the matter which seems to be the cause. Of course, as an introvert, you’d love to withdraw into your shell, (and in this case, your cubicle), but it matters to clarify at times. Just so that things don’t get worse.

3. Office Politics – Take Action

There is no doubt about the fact that there will always be a troublemaker or two, around you. And many a times, people mistake introverts for being a pushover. As an introvert, you might have given off this impression if, for the sake of avoiding trouble, you have relented in the past. However, at no point should anyone be allowed to bully you. Recognize that your rights and your dignity should be firmly secure at your workplace – which means, if you feel like you are being dragged into trouble you don’t belong in – you can and should take a stand. If the situation has turned drastic, you need to rise to the occasion either by acting against it yourself, or, if the situation calls for it – by taking the issue to the management.
Work place politics can be quite stressful, and in the end, nobody has anything to gain from it – apart from unpleasantness and anxiety. As an introvert, it might be quite a nightmare for you to deal with it – but like we said, no matter what occupation you choose, this will be a hazard you might have to deal with sooner or later. In which case, you need to decide which of the above three action plans suit your situation most.

Ever been in a bad situation with regards to office politics at your workplace? Let us know how you dealt with it!

The Ethics for Working from Home – Some Guiding Principles

The Ethics for Working from Home – Some Guiding Principles

by | Jan 12, 2017 | Managing Yourself, Office Etiquette, working from home, World of Work

With the work from home culture gaining popular acceptance, we thought it is a good idea to talk about the guiding principles and ethics for working from home. While this option does guarantee a great deal of flexibility and comes with a promise of increased productivity, it also comes with a built-in premise. You are in a position of trust and with Trust comes Responsibility. As Oprah has said – Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.

From our experiences as an employee and employer operating in the remote working model, here are the ethics for working from home that we hold sacrosanct:

1. Adhering to work timings

If you are expected to work from 10am to 6pm, ensure that you are at your work table sharp by 10 and stick around till 6. The work from home option affords you a great deal of liberties and cutting down on your work hours isn’t and shouldn’t be one of them. Get as much as you can done within your working hours, focusing only work as your primary priority during these hours.

2. A strict no personal calls/ errands rule

This is something you would mind if you were operating out of an office cubicle, and something you should mind even when you are operating out of the comfort of your home. Take personal calls only when extremely urgent, and not without leaving a note for your team/ manager, explaining the reason. The same goes for running personal errands.

3. Being available and reachable

A prerequisite for working from home is always being reachable and available. Unlike a regular job, there isn’t a desk you can be found at. This means you always need to be accessible on phone/ email. There could be very little margin for error regarding the same, and scope for excuses like “my phone didn’t have charge”, or “there wasn’t internet connectivity”. In case you aren’t going to be available, make sure you find a way to send the message to your team. Do read this post where we talk about everything in terms of infrastructure that you need to start working from home, or as we would like to call it, the essentials for working from home – http://obolinx.com/resources/2016/03/start-working-from-home/.

4. Honesty

A work from home job is one which needs you to be honest with yourself, as well as your team. It is easy to compromise on the input, and make the output seem sufficient. It may be easy to pull it off at times, but in the long run it’s not going to leave you in a great place, or have you feel good about yourself. In our earlier posts, we have stressed continuously on the fact that work from home roles are strictly for those who have the ability for self-motivation and self-discipline. This probably, would be the most important of the ethics for working from home, and is a given expectation from you!

5. Making an effort to communicate

Having a job where you work from home can often become depressing, especially if you are a social butterfly. It isn’t the best way for an introvert to learn better communication skills, either. So regardless of what kind your personality is, it is important to make an effort to communicate with your colleagues on a regular basis and not isolate yourself. It is easy for communication to take place when you operate out of a traditional office environment. And what may seem as small talk, is often crucial to your own work, and the team’s work in general, because exchanging notes gives you a feel of where you stand with respect to your work and also a sense of cohesiveness with your team – which is very essential for you to be productive and happy at work!

 To Sum It Up

A work from home opportunity, is a great opportunity to get more done, with least investments, and the most output. Today, management leaders around the world are exploring this option to try to build amazing teams – remotely. Though written more from an employer’s perspective, “Remote: office not required”, by Fried and Hansson is an insightful read for how working from remote locations is truly an enabler, more than anything else. We hope that you agree with our take on the Ethics for Working from Home. We would love to hear back from you!

Note: At OBOlinx Tech, we provide flexible work from home option for our team. We have experienced firsthand the advantages and disadvantages of working in this mode both as an employer and as an employee. With clear goal settings, a strong process framework, much patience, some discipline and a steady flow of two-way communication, we KNOW this business model can work and is here to stay. This is the future of work and the future is already here.