The Answer is Always "No!" --- If You Don't Ask!

In this week's blog we will take a brief break from the series on workplace culture. Instead we will delve into the art of management and negotiation.

There are several famous quotes regarding getting what you want or need:

• If you don't ask, you don't get.
• The answer is always "no" if you don't ask.
• You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need (thanks to Mick Jagger for that one!)

In today's business world of Political Correctness and every single piece of official correspondence looking like it was written by an army of attorneys, the ability to be direct is a dying competency.

I remember the first time that I had a conversation with someone telling them that they were being let go for poor attendance. I said something like this: "Well, you see Bill, our company policy seeks to assure that all policies are followed in a comprehensive manner, and strategically we must maintain a workforce that provides the appropriate level of staffing to assure that we meet customer demands and quality requirements, so we must take action to assure that our workforce is reliable and available to meet those demands."

Bill just sat there as I finished my soliloquy, as I wiped the sweat from my brow, not sure what to do next. Bill finally asked, "So, am I fired?" After I told him yes, that we were letting him go, I realized that most often a respectful, direct conversation is almost always the best approach to a difficult conversation.

The same principle holds true when you want to request something in the workplace. Even the greatest boss or coworker in the world may not automatically know what you want, even if you think it is ridiculously obvious.

In any negotiation, or in any request situation. the best way to make sure your wants are understood is to simply ask for them. When asking, be sure to consider the impact of your request on the person who can grant it. Ffor example, if you work in a fast food restaurant and you want to have every weekend off, you are probably not going to be successful in your request if the reasons given for your request revolve around you. You should always consider the effect that granting your request will have on the granter, your coworkers, and the organization's goals.

If you can provide a description of a win/win scenario associated with your request, you are far more likely to be successful.

In summary:

1. If you want something, ask for it.
2. Be sure that your request is concise and easily understood, not rambling or overly laden with excess language.
3. Be respectful of the other party.
4. Be sure to frame your request in terms of how it will impact the other party.

Next week: Reward and Recognition in your organization's culture!