“Sure. Okay. Yeah, I guess I’ve got a minute.” How often do you say those words when you’re really thinking, “I don’t have the time for this,” or “Maybe I can answer this quickly, so it doesn’t come back to haunt me later on,” or “I hope she gets to the point quickly this time.”
The reality is that most managers and leaders say “Yes” WAY too often. Then they wonder where their time has gone. Why do we say yes so much? Here are my top five excuses:
Number one, “If I address the problem now, I won’t have to deal with it later.”
Number two, “If I don’t answer the question now, the person may not be able to move forward.”
Number three, “That’s an interesting question. I’ve not thought about that before.”
Number four, “Oh, this one’s easy to answer.”
Number five, “They didn’t do it right last time. So I’ll just take care of it myself.”
You can probably think of a half-dozen others. But if you continually say “Yes,” you are conditioning those around you to consult you for increasingly miniscule issues. Taken to an extreme, you’ll begin to wonder why nobody can think anymore. But the truth is, they can, you’re just not asking them to.
Can you go cold-turkey and say “No” to everything? Perhaps. A senior leader told me of complaining to a mentor about how he could never catch his breath. The mentor said, “Go home. Stand front of the mirror and practice saying ‘No’ until your tongue bleeds.” While that might sound a little extreme, he got the point and hopefully you do too.
Of course, it’s not that easy when you’re in the moment and the person is standing there or on the phone. So let me share three sure-fire responses that I have learned from others and work for me all the time.
Number one, “I’ve got two minutes right now. Will that work?” Most got-a-minute questions consume more than a minute. So, chances are the person will say, “Actually, it’s a little more involved than that.” At that point, you can say, “Okay get on my calendar at the end of the day,” or “Stop by and see me after 4:30.” Chances are, the person will solve the issue themselves in the meantime and you will not be burdened with it.
Number two, “How about putting it in a quick email and I’ll answer it later today.” This compels the person type out the issue and hopefully what they want to do. This will force them to be more concise because they have to think through what the real issue or decision is. If you get a rambling explanation, this is an opportunity to coach them on how to be concise. Once again, they may resolve the issue without sending you the email
If the person, by the way, insists that the issue is really urgent, you may have to deal with it right then. But if it turns out not to be, you have the opportunity to coach them on when to approach you, someone else, or make the decision themselves.
Number three, work with your team to identify the most common issues and decisions that need to be resolved. Then delineate processes for dealing with each. Finally, train the team how to make those decisions at the appropriate level and delegate the authority to do so. One of the secrets to leading effectively is pushing authority down to the appropriate levels within the organization. Not only does this improve productivity, it compels people to develop a competence and confidence in their critical thinking.
While this takes an investment of time up front, it pays off in fewer got-a-minute questions down the road. Besides, if you’re the leader, why are you being approached in the first place? Shouldn’t the managers and supervisors reporting to you be dealing with these issues? The most effective leaders I have observed are insistent on delegating authority to those around them. Then they coach these individuals to manage the day-to-day decisions that shouldn’t require their attention.
By the way, when you have succeeded in saying “No,” be careful not to squander the time. I am guilty of this sometimes simply because I’ve suddenly found 15 minutes, half an hour or maybe more and I’m not quite sure what to do with it. So I’ve conditioned myself to take a step back and consider my options. Option one is to remain focused on the task at hand or begin something new. Option two is to take a break. Regardless of what you do, just be decisive. As I have mentioned in a previous post, there is lots of research that recommends that taking regular breaks enhances thinking and creativity. After all, we tend to come up with more solutions when our minds wander than when we’re focused on a task. If you’re a senior leader, this is especially important. After all, you’re the one setting organizational direction.
What do you say or do to avoid or manage the unwanted or superfluous questions you’re approached with? We’d all like to know. Put them in the comments below and make sure to subscribe to this channel for more practical ideas just like these.