Most of us don’t like to be told “no” when we ask for more resources. We consider it a rejection; we believe that the more resources we have, the better results we’ll achieve. But your boss’s no might be an opportunity to prove that you can find creative solutions to deliver quality work with less. In fact, the more experience you have with scarcity — the more times your boss says no — the better your chances are of learning how to use your ingenuity to invent solutions. Instead of focusing on the resources you won’t get, think about how hard work, existing resources, and collaborating with others can help you meet project deadlines, sales targets, or any other objective. Put the resources you do have to work and start experimenting. You’ll probably find that you’re able to make progress toward your goals without a complete plan, an ideal team, or a bigger budget.
Adapted from "What to Do When Your Boss Says No," by Scott Sonenshein
