Our Projective Talent consultants work on different projects, at different clients, and on a normal working day many of them never cross paths. That’s why we regularly create moments that bring them together: to connect, share what they’re learning and learn from colleagues who have walked the road before them.
At our latest event, we held four round tables, each on a different topic. This article is the first in a series of four.
We start with Laurent Zintz, COO of Projective Group and former CFO. His topic was a skill that rarely appears in a job description, but shapes almost every working day: saying no. Or more precisely, how to say no without damaging the relationship you rely on every day.
Why saying no matters more when you’re embedded
Our consultants work within a client team, often for around two years, and many go on to join the client afterwards. When you stay, the choices you make early on tend to stick. A yes that feels small today can quietly become what people expect from you next year.
Laurent opened the session with a simple question: who has said yes to something this week that they wish they hadn’t? It’s a question most of us would rather not answer honestly.
Can’t say no, or afraid to?
Laurent’s first lesson: most requests feel non-negotiable, but very few actually are. The pressure often comes not from the request itself, but from not wanting to disappoint someone.
The group worked through four everyday situations. Each one feels hard to refuse. Only one really is.
1. Your client manager asks you to join an urgent call tonight about a production issue.
The lesson: this is a genuine yes. You can agree on conditions, but you show up.
2. A colleague from another team asks you to build a dashboard “quickly”.
The lesson: they don’t set your priorities. Redirect the request to your manager.
3. Your manager asks you to take over the weekly reporting “just for a few weeks”.
The lesson: temporary tasks tend to become permanent. Agree how long it will last, and what comes off your plate in return.
4. A senior stakeholder asks you to present on their behalf at a meeting you haven’t prepared for.
The lesson: presenting badly is riskier than declining. Propose an alternative that serves their goal better.
Before you answer any request, ask yourself three questions:
- What is the real consequence of saying no, compared with the one I imagine?
- Who actually decides my priorities?
- Is this a one-off, or will it become part of my job?
A good no comes with one good reason
A reason helps a no land well, but only the right kind of reason. Laurent shared four principles:
- Anchor it in their interest. “I want this to be right” works better than “I’m exhausted”.
- Give one clear reason, not five. Over-explaining sounds like guilt and invites negotiation.
- Offer a reason, not an excuse. “This would delay Friday’s deliverable” explains a trade-off. “My manager won’t let me” shifts the blame.
- Use priority language, not contract language. “That’s out of scope” sounds cold when you sit in the same team.
The structure is simple: acknowledge the request, give your reason, offer an alternative. A few phrases participants took away:
- “I’m on X for the team deadline on Thursday. Should this come before or after?”
- “If I take this on, Y slips. Which matters more to you right now?”
- “Happy to help once, but if this becomes recurring, let’s discuss where it fits in my role.”
- “Let me check my commitments and come back to you by 3pm.”
Yes to the person, no to the task
A no only damages trust when it feels like rejection. Laurent’s advice: show you care about the other person’s problem first, then make it a shared problem. “Here’s what’s on my plate, can you help me choose?” turns you from a blocker into a partner.
Three habits make the difference:
- No surprises. Flag capacity issues early. A late no, or a silent yes that slips, does far more harm than an honest no upfront.
- Always leave a path forward. Different timing, a smaller version, someone else who could help, or a joint conversation about priorities.
- Follow up afterwards. Asking whether they found a solution shows your no wasn’t indifference.
Underneath all of this sits one principle: you earn the right to say no by delivering reliably on your yeses.
In a two-year placement, every yes compounds
This is where Laurent placed the heart of his message. The habits you set in your first months gradually become your job description. If you always cover the reporting, you become the reporting person.
It also shapes how people see you. Someone who is always available tends to be seen as execution support. Someone who pushes back thoughtfully is seen as someone to develop, and someone to hire.
Reliable beats available. A career is a marathon rather than a sprint, and the people who last are the ones who learn to protect their capacity early.
Someone who is always available is seen as execution support. Someone who pushes back thoughtfully is seen as someone to develop, and someone to hire.
Back to the question
So how do you say no without damaging the relationship? Early in a career, no rarely means refusing outright. Far more often, it means “not without a trade-off” or “let me check priorities first”. That isn’t a lack of commitment. It’s what commitment looks like when you plan to stay. And for the teams our consultants join, a consultant who makes trade-offs visible is protecting their deliverables, and is exactly the kind of colleague worth keeping.
One question to take with you: what have you picked up since you started that is now “just yours”, and did you choose that?
Why we make room for these conversations
Lessons like these rarely come from a training manual. They come from experienced people who are willing to share what they’ve learned along the way, and from peers who recognise the same situations in their own placements.
That’s why we value these moments so much. Interesting projects at leading financial services organisations are an important part of a career with Projective Talent. But so is the network around you: colleagues facing similar challenges at other clients, and experienced leaders across Projective Group, like Laurent, who are happy to share what they know.
Want to learn from people like Laurent?
At Projective Talent, you don’t just join a client project. You join a network of peers, coaches and experienced colleagues who help you grow.
Our Talent events exist to bring that network together. This was the first article in our series of four. In the next one, we’ll share what came out of Mike Leerdam’s round table on the power of the pitch.
Over Projective Talent
As part of Projective Group, Projective Talent connects ambitious professionals with leading financial services companies, opening doors to career-defining opportunities. Whether through traineeships that transition into long-term roles with our clients, or missions that offer flexible assignments, we ensure the right fit for both candidates and businesses.
With access to A+ clients, expert coaching and a strong professional network, we help talent and companies grow together, fuelling careers, innovation and long-term success.