In every meeting room, email thread, and project plan, there’s always the temptation to say “yes” to the next request. It feels urgent. Vital. A path to a quick win, right?
But here’s the thing: a strategy isn’t just a collection of “yes” moments. A strategy is a set of decisions about what to ignore as much as it’s about what to pursue.
Imagine you’re in a boat, rowing toward a faraway shore. Every time you stop to pick up floating debris or change course for a shortcut, you delay reaching the shore. The same is true in business. Every urgent sales request can feel like a step forward, but collectively, they’re detours that take you further away from your goals.
The Problem with Constantly Saying “Yes”
Each new request has a cost. A cost in time, focus, and often, morale. Every small request can erode your capacity for the big wins, the truly strategic moves.
Saying “yes” to every opportunity is a bit like trying to eat every dessert at the buffet. You can fill up quickly, but you’ll end up feeling bloated rather than satisfied. Seth Godin calls this the “cost of a free lunch.” Sure, each small request feels manageable on its own, but when stacked up, they consume time, resources, and focus—things that could be fueling your strategy.
Shift the Conversation
Instead of reacting to every request, invite your team to think bigger. What’s the ultimate mission? What’s the thing worth focusing on? In Shreyas Doshi’s words, “Focus is saying no, again and again and again.”
By grounding your team in a shared purpose, you create a culture where each request isn’t about immediate approval or rejection. It’s about alignment. Does this request move us closer to our mission? If not, it’s okay to say “not now.”
Build a “Strategic Funnel”
You wouldn’t take every route on a road trip, so why take every sales request? Create a system, a funnel, where you can evaluate each request based on impact and alignment. Sort them, stack them, and let the most strategic requests rise to the top. By filtering through a strategic lens, you can respond to sales teams confidently—not as a barrier but as a focused navigator.
And here’s a secret: sales teams are usually relieved to know there’s a method, a funnel, a clear “why.” They want to win as much as you do, and clarity is a path to better results.
Embrace the Power of “Not Yet”
Saying “not yet” isn’t closing the door; it’s building a bridge to a bigger goal. “Not yet” says, “We see this. We value this. And when it’s strategically right, we’ll do it.”
When you manage requests this way, you’re not just filtering out distractions—you’re building a culture where your team, your sales force, and your customers know you’re playing a long game. You’re committed to something more substantial than a quick win. You’re committed to a vision that’s worth the discipline of focus.
Final Thought
The magic of a strategy isn’t in what you say “yes” to; it’s in what you have the courage to say “not yet” to. Each time you do, you’re keeping the boat pointed at the shore, staying true to your purpose, and creating a real opportunity to make an impact worth noticing.