This contribution by Tony Jacowski gives great tips on the ins and outs of life on the job. Enjoy the read…
On the Job – Learning to Say Yes
By Tony Jacowski
Most people are put into a situation in the workplace where they find it hard to say no to their bosses, co-workers, or anyone else.
As humans, it is part of nature to want to please people, but you should never do it at your own expense. If you are on the other end of the spectrum, however, you might actually have more difficulty in the situation of saying ‘yes’ to certain people or things from time to time. For example, if your co-workers want to take you out to lunch, but you have a pile of work to do, you might be inclined to pass and eat alone. However, you should take the chance to take a break and get out of your office for awhile.
Your work isn’t going anywhere.
What if your boss asks you to work over one night, or to come in on a Saturday? Most people wouldn’t give up their evenings or weekends, but it can prove you to be a more reliable and credible source for the business. Also, remember that if you say ‘yes’ once, that doesn’t mean that you have to every single time. You can agree to work overtime one day and then say no the next day if you want. And you don’t have to offer an explanation for anything if you don’t want to.
Learning the right ways and instances to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ in the workplace can be confusing.
Some people might think that they are just words and don’t really have significance. However, these two words actually have a lot of significance in the world and are a great cause for stress for many people. You will need to take the time to figure out what you want out of your job and which situations you have troubles with. Then, you can apply the proper ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the situation. Don’t let it stress you out because it’s a simple process and can offer you a little relief in most cases.
The workplace has some tricky areas to navigate.
However, you need to be aware of what your exact duties are, why they are yours, and how to go about making sure that they are taken care of. You should also be able to say no when you want to, and yes whenever you want, based on what is asked of you. Keep these things in mind, because it’s not about being picky or letting people down. It’s about doing your job and not being taken advantage of because you can’t stand up for yourself. Say yes today, and see what happens. Who knows, you might like the result.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online (http://www.sixsigmaonline.org) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
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