Negotiating to a no
Photo: GTD workshop on 15 October 2015
An a-ha moment for one participant at a recent GTD (Getting Things Done) workshop was when she realized, "Use your inventory to negotiate, when your boss gives you another project/task. Ask your boss which project/task he/she wants you to postpone or drop."
Another participant responded that we are expected to keep taking more work, anyway! (That "…additional duties as assigned" clause in job descriptions.)
So that we do not become a refuser of additional assignments, my response went something like the following. "I am committed to my work and all the current tasks and assignments on my 'plate.' I am rigorous with these exhaustive (GTD) lists of the things I am focusing on. This approach has helped me become productive and committed. I know that this additional assignment will affect some thing(s) on my plate. So I'd like to discuss what current tasks and projects we can agree on to have reduced focus…"
Well, I didn't exactly say those words in the workshop, but that's the message I wanted to give!
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