Have you ever been in the situation where you know for sure that someone isn't going to learn anything from you? If so, it can be hard. However, if that person is your boss or someone more powerful in their field than yourself, it's best to just say "no."
Everybody needs boundaries, and saying "no" to a request from someone depends on how important the task is. So keep this article as a reference point when deciding whether or not to accept a certain responsibility.
What are your circumstances?
If your boss asked you to read a report or write an email, would you be too hard on yourself if you said no? Or are you just saying no because you're in a bad mood and don't feel like working?
Stop and ask yourself, "Would I be open to learning something important from the person who asked me to do this?" Of course it's not always relevant to learn something new from your manager, but rather if they're asking for help in their personal life or professional one. So take note of what this person is worried about, and why. Maybe dealing with their problems is valuable for everyone else around them.
For example, the CEO of a company might be concerned that their stock price is going down. Because they are in the spotlight and their reputation is on the line, they want to learn more about certain trends and politics in the markets. So if your boss asks you to do something important, like read a report or write an email, you can say no and tell them why.
But let's say your boss told you to help him/her figure out who that weird guy was at work who keeps showing up during lunch. You say no because it seems like a waste of time for you; if that person were to receive any benefits from it, then maybe it could be worth doing.
What if you're doing what's best for the company?
If your boss asks you to do something that's not very important, but it will benefit the company in a significant way, then you can say no. So for example, if your manager asks you to read some reports about the products we make for market research companies or write some emails because they're losing money in their marketing department, no problem!
However, if your boss asks you to look at other peoples' expenses or check on a new construction project that has just started up or go see who a person is possibly cheating on their taxes with—that's not really important according to how productive the company is.
So in this situation, you can say no and explain why—like if the project isn't that important or if we're not going to be making money from it for another three months.
Suppose your boss is going through a divorce and wants advice about what to do legally with his/her company? You can say no because it's personal, and although you might want to help out because you like your boss, saying no is perfectly fine. And it's even more appropriate if they don't respect your time by asking too much of it.
In short, when you feel comfortable telling people "no," then go ahead.
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