7 Ways To Say No To ‘Pick Your Brain’ Meeting Requests
Jun 15, 2016
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Learn how to gracefully decline 'pick your brain' meeting requests with strategies to set boundaries and prioritize paid client meetings. Discover tactics to indicate busyness, propose distant future dates, employ persistence, and employ unorthodox strategies for handling such requests. Explore efficient techniques for managing meeting requests by setting clear communication guidelines and prioritizing goals for improved time management.
Setting clear boundaries and prioritizing tasks allows successful individuals to respectfully decline meeting requests that do not align with personal goals.
Tactful methods for declining requests include citing ongoing deadlines, limiting availability, redirecting to other individuals, and requesting structured agendas for potential interactions.
Deep dives
Warren Buffett's Insight on Saying No
Successful individuals say no to almost everything, as highlighted by Warren Buffett and reiterated by various successful entrepreneurs. When overwhelmed with requests for meetings or advice, a strategic way to decline is by setting clear boundaries. By prioritizing tasks and aligning responses with personal goals, it becomes possible to respectfully decline requests that do not directly contribute to objectives.
Strategies for Politely Declining Requests
Various methods exist to decline requests tactfully and efficiently. One approach involves citing an ongoing deadline as a reason for not accepting new engagements. Communicating that time slots are reserved for paying clients or offering very limited availability can also convey a polite but firm refusal. By setting specific and distant future meeting times or suggesting early morning calls, it signals a packed schedule without outright rejection.
Referrals and Clear Communication for Effective Declines
In situations where declining directly may seem harsh, referring the requester to another suitable person within the organization can redirect the inquiry effectively. Alternatively, suggesting brief email interactions during specific times, such as during travels or off-peak hours, provides an efficient medium for communication. Utilizing a structured approach by requesting a draft agenda for potential interactions ensures that discussions remain focused and purposeful.
