Never say "No." #QuoteADay #Day243 #edchat #edu #ASCDL2L #MakeItHappen #satchat #satchatwc
Yesterday, as the day was wrapping up, our department ran into a fix. We needed some technology assistance with one of our programs, and our tech liaison couldn't assist, and wouldn't be able to for a number of days. Since this was a time-sensitive problem, and since I'm one of the more technologically-focused members of our department, everyone looked to me to take care of the situation.
At first, it seemed like an easy fix. But, when I asked a couple clarifying questions, I found out that the problem was much, much, bigger, and would require a significant amount of my time next week. My first response was one of fear: "How will I complete this in time?" and "But what about all my other work?" Happily, I didn't ask these out loud, as I'm a firm believer in always being outwardly positive.
Instead, I said, "That's a big job. Let's find a way to make it work." So, we worked together to modify our schedules, and I blocked off significant time early next week to make this happen (I've been doing some of it so far this weekend too).
We should never have to say "no." In fact, we shouldn't even allow it to be an option. Even in those situations where a "no" would be appropriate, we should always strive to find a way to make another option available.
By its nature, a response of "no" takes the wind out of any set of sails. But, on the other hand, if we say something like, "Let's see what options we have," we can keep everyone committed and engaged.
So let's remove "no" from our vocabulary. The goal is to always find ways to keep moving forward.
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