There have been many books and blogs written about saying
yes to everything. I even think there was a movie about saying yes. It sounds
fun and adventurous until you think about the reality of doing so. It would
simply be overwhelming to say yes to everything. I am way too pragmatic to make
the sweeping decision of yes, but have realized that saying no shuts a door. I
decided to say yes more often than not. I know that doesn't sound exotic or exciting,
but it has helped me with my career.
Whether you are looking for a job or happy in your current
role, overwhelmed or content in your workload, I have found saying yes can have
positive repercussions. When a recruiter calls about an open position, I have
always taken the call even if I am not interested. Why would I waste my time? I
found it is not a waste of time to make connections. I will listen to hear
about the role and happily refer someone who may be a great fit. When I had a
recent period of unemployment, I found those relationships I had built with
recruiters over the years invaluable.
How else could saying yes help your career? There was a
period of time when I was leading a design team during the day and completing
my MBA at night. At work, I was asked to take on additional responsibilities outside
the scope of my job. The new duties seemed like a strange request given my role
at the time. I was already overworked but decided to say yes. Because I
performed well in these additional responsibilities, I was able to make a much
desired career shift into merchandising. I didn't sleep much during that time,
but the short-term pain lead to long-term gains.
Although saying yes to everything could lead nowhere, I
recommend you think before you close the door by saying no. What have you said
no to that you regret? Where is there an opportunity to say yes right now in
your career? How can you identify what you should stay open to?
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