When and why do I say no?

I thought it would be helpful to share some thoughts on turning work down. I never like saying no to a prospective client or project and I find that I have to do this more and more these days (which is an indication of how many people are approaching me for work, rather than because my capacity has reduced).

Here’s what makes me say no:

• I don’t have enough time. It sounds obvious but this is probably the main reason I decline work. I will never say yes to a project if I don’t think I can meet the deadline – that wouldn’t be fair on the new client or my existing clients. I use a tracker spreadsheet to work out how much time I have available each month and how this is likely to be allocated to different projects. If I have too many other commitments I will say so.
• I have another client working to the same deadline. I know how much work it is to meet a deadline (especially for the big funders). I also know it wouldn’t be possible for me to put two projects to the same big deadline, I just wouldn’t be able to do them both justice. So, if I already have a project which is working towards a set deadline, I won’t take on another one at the same time.
• I feel I don’t have the skills. I am really honest about this – sometimes I say no because I think there will be someone else who can do a better job that me, or because something falls outside of my skillset. That said, I will take on new areas of work if both I and the client agree that my skills are just what is needed even if it is something I haven’t done before. I believe in honesty and transparency and I will only say yes if I think I can live up to client expectations.
• I don’t feel a connection to the project. I like to work on projects that interest me. If you take a look a the previous projects I have supported you can get an idea of what type of projects these are – nature, wildness, heritage, rural, urban, storytelling, community are all words that will make me look twice. I have really enjoyed projects that challenge me outside of these areas but most of my work is in the environment, heritage and community sectors.
• I don’t think I can deliver the funding targets set out in the brief. There are no guarantees in fundraising but I am only going to say yes if I think I have a chance of success – this doesn’t mean I don’t think the targets can be met, just that I am not going to be the best person to do that.
• The project is too far away. Some projects can be delivered remotely but most benefit from a visit now and again. I find it really helpful to immerse myself in the project landscape or location. The vast majority of my work is in Northumberland and the north east – it is easier to write about sites and communities that you have visited. That’s not to say I don’t work remotely as well – it’s not a hard and fast rule but it is certainly something I take into consideration.
• I feel like I need a bit more balance. At the end of the pandemic, for various reasons, almost all my contracts were for project evaluation. Many were for projects that were expected to finish one or two years earlier but had been extended. To be honest, I didn’t enjoy this. I love working with clients to evaluate their impact but I also need a balance between this and the project development work that I do. If I can, I will try and have a range of different projects on my books.

On the other hand, what makes me say yes? There are previous clients that I love working with and I will pretty much always say yes if I can – something about the organisation or the people or the location that makes me want to work with them again. I’ll also probably say yes to smaller organisations where I can make a big difference, as well as bigger organisations doing something really special and notable – quite often I am working at both extremes and I love that.

I know it is a luxury to be able to turn work down and I never find it easy. I have worked hard to build a track record and I know I am good at what I do. This enables me to make decisions about the work I take on – I can’t say yes to everything so I say yes where I know I can do a great job.

Featured below are some of the projects I am delighted to have said yes to recently:

1. Back to work with the amazing team at St Cuthbert’s Church in Norham, a unique and historic church on the banks of the Tweed with some incredible stories to tell. I can’t wait to get stuck into this.
2. Two previous clients got in touch to ask if I had capacity to work on a project they are both involved in. When two organisations endorse you for a new partnership it is hard to say no and so I am working with Groundwork NE & Cumbria, Northumberland County Council and others on a project which is seeking to find a solution for nature and communities on the river Wansbeck. (There is a lot more to say about this project – I’ll come back with a separate post later).
3. Something new: writing a statutory document for a Local Authority. This was working with a previous client and it utilised a lot of skills and contacts that I already have. It was also something I was really interested in where I could use my skills to support a specialist team within the local council. The Northumberland Rights of Way Improvement Plan will be published next month. I have learnt a lot through this project which I will be able to take to future projects as well.
4. A new client approached me because her manager (who I had worked with before) had recommended me to support the Tees Estuary Nature Partnership to adopt a new evaluation framework. I had the time, it sounded like an interesting project, it was clear what they needed and how I could add value, and overall it felt like a good fit. I’ve really enjoyed working on this project.