不当职场老好人:1分钟学会拒绝艺术

You can't assume that every request has been thought through in detail. Often people ask for what they want with little or no consideration of what's involved for delivery. I never subscribe to the "customer is always right" theory. As a consultant, I wonder, if they are always right, why would they want to pay me? Be the expert when someone asks for something. If you don't know how it works, do your homework and say yes only when you know it can really happen. Otherwise, keep that "maybe" handy.
你不能指望每个要求都已经得到了充分的考虑。很多时候，人们提出他们想要什么的时候根本就没有好好考虑要做到这些需要哪些必要条件。我从来不会同意“顾客永远是对的”这种理论。作为一位顾问，我总是会想，如果他们永远是对的，他们为什么又要花钱来请我？当别人向你要求什么的时候，你一定要专业。如果你不知道那件事如何才能成功，你一定要做好功课，只有当你完全明白它要怎么做才能成功的时候才说yes。不然的话，就只能说“可能”。

5. Say NO! When You Have to Go Backwards
5.当你会退步时，说no！

It's hard enough to move steadily toward your goals without having to regain lost ground. When approached with an opportunity that doesn't obviously propel you forward, ask yourself: "Why am I even interested in this?" You may be surprised to find there is simply no justification for saying yes. When that happens, loudly declare No! and move on to opportunities that better align with your goals.
想要在稳步前行的同时又不失去已获得的东西是很难的。当你遇到一个机会，而那个机会并不一定能帮助你前进的时候，就要问问自己：“我对这个东西到底感兴趣吗？”你或许会惊讶地发现，根本就没有理由说yes。当这种情况发生的时候，果断说no！然后转向另一个和你的目标更相符的机会。

6. Say NO! When It's UNPRofitable
6.当不划算的时候，说no！

You are in business for many reasons, but nearly everyone--founders and employees alike--is in it to profit. Not all profit is related to money, although young entrepreneurs should take note that consistent monetary profit does help your sustainability and your valuation. Sometimes a transaction can pay off in connections, exposure, learning, satisfaction or, yes, money. But when a transaction does nothing to better the people involved, then the word No! should be used.
你在商界是出于各种各样的原因，但几乎所有人进入商界都是为了盈利。并非所有的盈利都和钱有关。虽然年轻企业家必须明白持续的金钱盈利对你的可持续发展和价值的成长是非常有帮助的。但有时候一项交易也能让你在人脉、曝光率、知识以及满意度上获得回报。但是当一项交易对所有人都没有好处的时候，就该说no！

7. Say NO! When You Can't Meet Expectations
7.当你不能达到期望的时候，说no！

People are often optimistic about how quickly and how well they can get things done. Combine that hopefulness with the desire to please a customer, and you are left over-promising and under-delivering. Save yourself the mea culpa and say No! to what you know you can not do. Be accountable and manage expectations. Whatever you do, don't say yes to get the deal signed if you're assuming that, once the prospects are in the door, they'll have to adapt to your change in quality, timing or price. After they realize what's happened, few will come back to say yes and do business with liars.
人们总是对快速成功地做好某件事抱有乐观的期望。当你把这种乐观的期望和满足客户的需求联系起来的时候，你往往会承诺太多你做不到的事情。你必须对那些你做不到的事情说no！以减少你的过错。让自己变得靠谱起来，并且努力达到期望。不管你做什么，都不要因为你预计能做到就承诺下一桩交易。一旦木已成舟，客户不得不接受你在质量、时间和价格上产生的变化。一旦他们明白发生了什么，很少有人会回来和你说yes，并且继续和一个骗子合作。