Why Saying No Is the Most Strategic Thing A Leader Can Do Right Now

Several weeks ago after delivering one of my keynotes, I had an interesting conversation with one of the leaders in attendance. He shared with me how he’s been struggling with how to prioritize which urgent demands he should focus on, especially as market conditions continue to become more uncertain.

Why Most Leaders Struggle to Prioritize What Matters

I told him about a story I shared in one of the “Leadership Espresso Shot” episodes of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast where I examined the strategy behind Warren Buffett’s continued success despite those same challenges this leader is now struggling with.

Specifically, how Warren Buffett embraces the art of saying no.

Granted, for many leaders, this can feel harsh as we want to be encouraging and supportive. But we have to understand that when you say no, you’re not being difficult. Rather, you’re being strategic about how you manage those precious limited resources of time, energy, and focus.

And this leader is far from being alone. Research from McKinsley has found that only 52% of executives spend most of their time focused on the organization’s strategic priorities.

How to Practice the Art of Saying No as a Leader

So how can you get more comfortable with the art of saying no so you can ensure you’re prioritizing what matters most?

For starters, evaluate every request, opportunity, or demand from the lens of your organization’s key objectives.

Will it help drive forward momentum on your shared purpose? And if it takes you slightly off-tangent, does it create opportunities for your team to stretch and grow relevant competencies and skills? If not, then it deserves a firm no.

But to help blunt any concerns of negative feelings or blowback, provide an explanation for why you have to say no, and where necessary, suggest alternatives.

Remember, just because it’s not a key objective for you doesn’t mean it’s not for others. But it’s also important that you guard your time and focus, not to mention your team’s limited resources.

Why Strategic Focus Will Only Become More Critical

As the business environment continues to increase in complexity and speed, your ability to employ the art of saying no will become more and more critical to succeeding at leadership.

As Warren Buffett said, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”