Political Dilemmas at Work: How to Maintain Your Integrity and Further Your Career

Test the Political Temperature with a Hypothetical No

Simply refusing a project—even with a good reason—not only lacks tact and diplomacy, but may appear to lack grace and gratitude. It could even be career shortening. It is too early in the political process to refuse the project now, and there are better options—roads that actually lead somewhere, which you can explore first. So, if you have asked your best questions and explored the political backdrop, and you are still unsure, then one way forward is to test the political temperature with a hypothetical refusal. Just say, “Sounds okay boss, but what happens if I say no?”

A hypothetical no gives you the chance to find out if your refusal is even an option. In theory, you have the option to refuse anything in life, but in practice, it is much more difficult to refuse a reasonable request from your boss.

A hypothetical no invites the boss into sharing his view of any potential consequences, should you eventually decide that refusal is in fact the best option. Perhaps even better, it provides you with a barometer reading of your boss’s determination for you to take on the project. And should your boss push you harder still and eventually start to spell out what sound like threats, it is appropriate to notice the strength of his determination and reasonable to wonder why.

The way that your boss reacts to a hypothetical no can tell you almost as much as what he actually says in the way of justification. While it ...