Saying no has become a crucial life skill for two-income families with increasing hours at work. But many people are afraid of that two-letter word, says William Ury, author of The Power of a Positive No. "We're afraid of not being liked, not being accepted," he says. "We're afraid of hurting a relationship or losing a deal."
he key to saying no: be polite but direct
Avoid the self-deprecation approach as well. Many people denigrate their own skills when saying no, protesting, "I'm really not the best person for this project."
Even saying yes to a tiny request could get you in trouble. A commitment that seems small can easily grow
To learn to say no, start by identifying why you always say yes. Some people do it because they fear losing control over any part of a project,
An automatic "yes" response is ingrained in many people from childhood, when saying no led to a time-out,
As adults, many people think saying yes will get them ahead at work.
clipped from: www.forbes.com 
