There are times when even the most cooperative communicators feel compelled to decline the requests of a customer, a colleague, or even a boss. Following these steps can help soften the blow when you choose to say no.

1. Acknowledge that the request is important to the person making it: “I can understand why you need help to meet the deadline. . . .”

2. Decline the request: “I won’t be able to help you out on this one.”

3. Give your reasons, if appropriate: “I’m using every minute of my time to finish the XYZ report.”

4. Offer help in finding a solution: “I could show you the report format I used last year. It might help you figure out how to approach this job.”