How strategic refusal can help with impossible goals

Executive coaches often see that leaders who take on impossible goals don’t do it because they lack judgment—they do it because pushing back feels risky to them, Harvard Business Journal writes. 

Authors Luis Velasquez and Jordan Stark note that pressure from the top, a culture of “yes,” and intense market competition make committing the only safe choice, while leaders may also fall into the well-known traps of optimism bias, perfectionism or a need to prove their worth, all of which skew their decision-making ability.

The real leadership skill is not figuring out how to do it all—it’s knowing when and how to push back. 

Leaders should consider strategic refusal, a structured method to force prioritization and push back on unrealistic demands that jeopardize team productivity, morale or well-being. Researchers developed a matrix to determine when to act and a framework to guide you on how to act.

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