Just heard a project manager say 'no' to extra scope and it clicked for me

I was sitting in on a status call yesterday when one of the senior PMs flat out told a client we couldn't add two more features without pushing the deadline by 3 weeks. It was so casual and firm at the same time. That's something I've always struggled with... I usually just say yes and then scramble to make it work. But she had a spreadsheet ready showing how each change would add 8 to 12 hours of work. I realized I've been burning myself out for years just to avoid an awkward conversation. Has anyone else found a specific way to practice saying no that didn't feel harsh?

2 comments

2 Comments

uma_williams1mo ago

That spreadsheet part is the real trick honestly. Numbers don't argue back and they take the emotion out of it. Saying no feels way less personal when you can just point to the math and let it speak for itself.

jennifer8331mo ago

My buddy runs a small fence crew and he started using a chart that shows days per job versus hours billed. He said showing a client the numbers made saying no feel like just doing the math instead of being mean.