OK, so one of the things I like best about my position as an HR professional is the joy of saying YES! Hey, I have a teenager at home who really wants to join the ME generation by conniving me into saying yes to a laundry list of requests and most often I have to stick with my mantra of NO!!! When I get to work, it is always a refreshing change to say yes, we’d love you back for a second interview or yes, you got the job! I was taken aback when I initially saw the article in a recent Talent Management magazine by Editorial Director Mike Prokopeak titled “The Audacity of Nope”. At first I thought, hey don’t burst my bubble, but as I read on I was intrigued…
Mike states “HR has traditionally been a high touch business, and we enjoy when we are able to help. There’s nobility and value in that approach. But there’s also significant power in saying no. A well-placed and well-reasoned no can enhance credibility, demonstrate discernment and illustrate an analytical ability that leads to greater success, both for the individual and the organization.
At some point, we’ve all been part of successful teams that incorporate and value a variety of viewpoints, including those people who raise objections. We need someone to take the opposite stance and think it through to ensure the validity of our ideas. Sometimes no is the best answer you can give, however difficult it may be”.
The article continued to open my eyes not by touting the “NO” mantra, but by encouraging folks to strike a proper balance. Mike continues “At work this (constant) positivity can sometimes result in a growing number of roles and responsibilities that are at best, difficult and at worst impossible to achieve. Saying yes to everything can lead to disorganization, clutter, and losing sight of key priorities. Blown deadlines and unmet expectations add to the weight of stress and can create a toxic situation.
It’s time to embrace the power of negative thinking. There’s an art to it, but it’s not difficult to master. If there’s anything that this recession has taught us, it’s that the party can’t go on indefinitely. So let’s take that dose of realism and do something positive with it.
Food for thought…
How true! The most enjoyable part of an HR career is to say the three letter word… Yes. Thank you for your insight on the Mike Prokopeak article titled “The Audacity of Nope”. I was unaware of it but am also intrigued.