Many young, ambitious and promising managers believe that the harder they work, the better their career prospects. They also believe that the more work and responsibility they take on, the faster they will climb the career ladder. However, this is not entirely true. On the contrary, if you don't know how to say no, you risk not only burnout but paradoxically also slower career advancement. Here are a few reasons why this is the case.
You won't learn to delegate work and will then be overwhelmed
If you can't say no, then according to Forbes you risk doing everything yourself. This leads to long term overload, inability to delegate tasks to subordinates, and ultimately a high risk of burnout. Delegating work is one of the key managerial skills, so it is therefore necessary to learn it instead of carrying all the tasks on your own shoulders.
You won't develop independently working subordinates
If you don't delegate tasks to subordinates and entrust them with new and interesting projects, they will never be able to grow. By taking on all the work yourself, you slow down their natural development. This can result not only in their inability to work independently, but also in frustration, dissatisfaction, and eventually high turnover.
You won't build specific expertise
Although being a so called "renaissance" person still has its appeal, today’s world rewards those who have a specific expertise or are able to combine several unique skills. If you accept every task and never refuse any, you will never become an expert because you will just be doing a little bit of everything.
You won't earn respect and only harm your personal brand
Finally, it is important to mention your personal brand. How is someone who never refuses any work and agrees to do everything others demand of them perceived? They come across as being unsure of their own value. By accepting all tasks, you also damage your own reputation.
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