I have often found that where technology and financial services come together, they are not necessarily the same. So, shouldn’t we learn to make them happen productively? Saying no is an imperative – or rather, it should be. Anyone who’s tried to adjust to saying ‘yes’ all the time can tell you that it’s impossible to say yes to everything.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!People who make an effort to say yes 100% of the time often make the mistake of thinking it’s working effectively for them and those around them — even the parties they attend. Saying ‘yes’.
But, saying yes to everything removes us from the equation and trivializes our perspective. This makes our judgments about effectiveness or results inaccurate.
privilege of saying no
We should make it a habit to say ‘no’, but rather that intuition, intelligence and experience that might lead us to consider ‘no’ as a viable conclusion are important pointers that we should not take for granted. The ability to tolerate these signals consists in first recognizing it as an option, and then using it as an advantage – not only for ourselves, but also on behalf of those who depend on us.
Capitalizing on the benefits of knowing when to say ‘no’ can mean the difference between maintenance and success – between good and great. Some of the best advice I ever received was when a former boss advised me, “Say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.” If you fill your plate with “good,” where is the time or room to take advantage of the great opportunities that appear?
I heard another version of this advice when a coach commented on a personnel option he decided not to exercise: “Some of the best deals are the ones you don’t make.”
time limits
It becomes clear where to set boundaries when we carefully consider our overall perspective. Your end goal is the guide that allows you to see what smaller goals lead to progress, what challenges or tasks may keep you from it, and what merely marks the time.
Knowing what your “great” looks like can be a criterion, it can be a reference for when to agree to something and when not. While being open to the unexpected, we can see opportunity in any development. The key is to keep our goals and vision in mind, and act clearly.
Time is an ever-present resource upon which we can exercise important choices. Our calendars, schedules and agendas create a gymnasium where purpose gains definition. Be mindful of giving time to the things that are most important to you and recognize that we must work But Our business and not only In our business. This means allocating time for analysis, strategy and evaluation.
If we only schedule operations and execution, then the business is driving us. Therefore, we should make a point of scheduling time to think – both alone and together.
the response you can expect
Practicing saying no intentionally can be difficult for you. If you’ve made a habit of saying yes too many times, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns. The best way to overcome this feeling of resistance is to stick to your plan and pay attention to what you’re getting in return.
Once you find that you have more time and energy to focus on what really matters, the reward and value of saying no becomes more apparent.
Not everyone will understand when you say ‘no’. This is not an obstacle, but a road sign. If everyone agrees with you, it is unlikely that your decision is doing anything worthwhile. Your options for dealing with this reaction can be another opportunity for progress.
Sometimes, explaining your decision can be a real opportunity to make an impact. It is important that the timing and extent of your explanation should not be seen as an apology or uncertainty. The risk of undermining your decision should be avoided, yet the chance to put the energy of understanding behind it, may be worth taking on the spot.
Here, where technology and financial services come together, I’ve had the tremendous professional opportunity to see what works in real market conditions, more or less almost every day, and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned.
Christy Soukhmanet is the Managing Director of Mortgage Finance in Texas.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Texas Capital Bank.
This column does not necessarily reflect the views of HousingWire’s editorial department and its owners.
To contact the author of this story:
Christie on Soukhnet [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
at Sarah Wheeler [email protected]
