Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

June 25, 2025

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm by leveraging The Triple Win Method.

Feeling Powerless to say “No” at Work? This is for YOU

Howdy ,

Yesterday's email about saying "No" to protect your time hit a nerve. I got responses like this one:

"For some of us, the organisations we work in does not permit you to say No to your superior when you are called for a meeting even when it's last minute/ impromptu.

You superior calls and you answer Yes sir!

The superior may ask for the agenda of the meeting if it isn't an emergency meeting but when it's the big boss call you can't ask for the agenda and say no agenda so I won't be there. Agen what?!

I am talking of uniform( security services) setting."

Fair question. Let me start by sharing what I learned working with professionals in highly structured environments.

The Redirect Strategy

When you can't say "No" to the request, you can still say "Yes" strategically. Here's how:

Instead of: "I can't attend that meeting." Try: "I'll be there. To maximize my contribution, could you help me understand which specific aspect you'd like me to focus on?"

Instead of: "I don't have time for this project." Try: "To deliver the quality you expect, I'll need to adjust the timeline on Project X. Which would you prefer I prioritize?"

The Resource Allocation Approach

In military and corporate hierarchies, everything is about resource allocation. Frame your time the same way:

"Sir, I want to ensure I'm deploying my efforts where they'll have maximum impact for the unit. Given these competing priorities, how would you like me to sequence them?"

Notice what happened? You shifted from saying "No" to requesting strategic guidance. You're not refusing – you're asking for command decisions.

Your Action Step This Week:

Practice the phrase: "To give this the attention it deserves, I'll need guidance on priorities."

Use it once this week when faced with competing demands.

Remember, even in hierarchical environments, your time has value. The goal isn't to refuse orders – it's to help your superiors make better decisions about where to deploy your capabilities.

Now the Actual Response 

I responded directly to the feedback I referred to earlier. Let me share my response with you here.

“You're absolutely right - military and security services operate differently with clear chain of command protocols. And I agree, my advice would work best in corporate/civilian workplaces where there's more flexibility.

In uniformed services, "Yes sir!" isn't optional, and I respect that structure. However, even within those constraints, you might find small opportunities to optimize: preparing standard briefing materials, suggesting efficient meeting formats when appropriate (and if your superior is open to it), or helping junior personnel understand when their presence truly adds value.

The core principle remains: protect time where you can, while respecting the operational requirements of your specific environment.

You will need to contextualize it for your specific situation.

The important thing is to know the level of power you have to control your time. Where you don't have so much power, use the level of power a.k.a. self-autonomy as well as you can without letting someone else take over your time.

You are controlling your time so you can focus on delivering the results that matter in your growth & progress at work. This is the endgame.

Wishing you success at work as you adapt it to your situation.”

You can still control your time, no matter which environment you find yourself in

As always, keep winning at work and in life.

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor

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