Saying “No” to do better

Lawyering

I bought this book to seek solace during a period when I was up to my neck in running corporate transactions simultaneously, each with pressing deadlines.

When working as part of a group of advisers for a mutual client’s corporate exercise, no adviser wants to be the one to drop the ball. No one wants to expressly say, “This is not within our scope of work” when being pushed to do something outside the agreed scope for fear of being labelled. However, with numerous tasks vying for attention, I know I have to say “No” to some requests. My justification/ excuse is summed up in the first and third principles in the book:

  • Do fewer things
  • Obsess over quality

If I say “No” to some requests, it’s not because I want to do less for the sake of doing less. It’s because I want to deliver on what I have already committed to.

This post was first posted on LinkedIn on 5 April 2024.

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