Saying No

If anything has kept me on track all these years, it is being skewered to this principle of central focus. There are many things I can do. But I must narrow it down to the one thing I must do. The secret to concentration is elimination. Only do what only you can do because the less you do the more you accomplish. – Howard Hendricks

If we are going to be effective leaders we must learn to say “No”.
Jesus said “no” to his own family (Matthew 12:46-50) and the disciples said “no” to getting directly involved in a ministry (Acts 6:2).

It’s not rude – it’s setting priorities.

The reality is that when we say “yes” to something we say “no” to everything else. So how do we choose?

• Know your calling and vision – God called us to something specific. Being everything to everyone everywhere is antithetical to calling.
• Know the costs of saying “yes” – “Yes” here is “no” somewhere else.
• Saying “no” is OK – Really!
• Be up front and honest about the reasons why you can’t
• Give people a “soft place to land” – This article has good suggestions
• Your people need you to say “No” to them – the more spread out we are the less effective we become.
• Know that some will never understand – no matter how well you explain it some are so self-focused they simply cannot – will not – hear your reasoning. They are judging you by their values – not yours.

What are some ways you have learned to say no?

*The Catalyst Groupzine Vol. 6; The Tension of No by Andy Stanley
*linkedin.com; How to Say No To Others: The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need by Tomas B Floyd