How Leaders can Cope with Rejection in Business
Have you ever worked day in and day out to prepare for a potential business opportunity just to hear a big fat “no” in return? I’ve certainly been there before and while we all know rejection is possible, when it actually happens, we’re never fully prepared.
No matter how competitive you may be in nature, as a business person—rejection often creates an instant overwhelming feeling of loss, despite how small or big the opportunity. However, regardless of the loss, we can all learn a valuable lesson, and often, these experiences push us to self-reflect, re-visit the drawing board and realize that sometimes a loss isn’t always a bad thing! Here are a few tips that have helped me along the way, as I have coped with rejection in business.
Acknowledge Your Pain
First things first, let yourself feel. You won’t hear this often, chances are, especially not from your business colleagues, but, it’s important. Whether it’s disappointment, discouragement, anger or frustration—allowing yourself to acknowledge those feelings and sit with them for a period of time, will actually play a role in helping you move on. When leaders process their feelings, it’s an integral part of recovering from loss. The important factor to remember when acknowledging pain is eventually, you must get back up and learn from the experience. After you’ve given yourself time to accept your feelings and perhaps have even talked through them with someone you trust(which is often helpful), it’s crucial to reflect on what you could have done better throughout the process and then recognize that it’s time to move on to the next opportunity.
Still feeling like you’re just stuck in a rut of self-pity and denial? Take some much-needed and deserved time to practice self-care. Take part in an activity you enjoy that you know ensues productivity and creativity within you! For some, this may be in the form of an exercise class, or re-reading a motivating book, or listening to a podcast. It’s your responsibility to keep morale up and realign your thoughts to a positive mindset as you work to keep moving forward.
Learn From the Experience
While none of us like being rejected, we certainly learn more from it than hearing ‘yes’ all of the time! I assure you, the few rejections will certainly not be forgotten, and oftentimes motivation and growth come from challenging ourselves to dig deeper into the why. Speaking of the why—I’m a firm believer that’s it’s perfectly acceptable to ask your prospect in a non-threatening and humble manner, why they have made the decision not to proceed with the working relationship. In fact, I think it’s crucial in an effort to not repeat history. Chances are, they’re more than willing to share and from their explanation, you can determine your next course of action. For instance, perhaps they just weren’t ready to pull the trigger yet on the project or maybe you could have done a better job with communication and explaining the process…whatever it may be—their input will help you immensely as you work to improve through each experience.
A Blessing in Disguise?
I always go into working relationships whether it’s with a client or a colleague, realizing that unless it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement—there will be nothing but grief. All parties need to be onboard together in order for shared success to happen. When a client comes to me looking for marketing support, I sit down with them and have very intentional conversations where I ask key questions—not just about marketing but about their business as a whole. These conversations serve as a vetting process, to ensure that we’re both a good fit for each other. It’s essential that you have shared values and vision when working towards a common goal. Without that, hard work is often done in vain. I believe it’s foolish to think that you’re the right fit for everyone, after all, isn’t that why as business owners, we have target markets? It’s our job to know our market and make sure we’re providing a service and an experience that they can believe in. That being said, it’s not always easy to know right away if the working relationship is in fact, a good fit. Sometimes, it takes getting to the proposal process and working through the scope and pricing to realize it’s not going to work out. So, the next time that your proposal is rejected, ask yourself if perhaps this is a blessing in disguise? Even more importantly, follow your gut and know when to say ‘no.’ If you’re running the numbers and you just can’t accomplish what they need within their budget because of your commitment to providing the best experience—it’s time to consider if it’s really worth pursuing! In business, learning to say ‘no’ can mean the difference between success and failure.
How to Handle the Conversation
Whether you’re replying to a rejection email or delivering the news that you’re passing on an opportunity, difficult conversations are never easy. Here are some ideas that I have found to be helpful when having these conversations:
Start by appreciating the experience—Always begin by thanking the potential client for the opportunity to provide them with a proposal and for their time in sharing more of what they do with you! Remaining humble throughout the process helps the other party to stay more open and less defensive. Perhaps you could even talk through some of the differences and reach a new agreement if the conversation is handled correctly.
Remain confident in what you provide while respectful of their decision—Asking them kindly for an explanation or offering one of your own for those projects you choose not to take on is the next part of the dialogue. For example, if you’re offering your own explanation for passing on an opportunity because it’s not a good fit simply explain why. Emphasize your commitment to quality work and exceptional customer service. Let them know that this is a hallmark of your business and that you’re not able to compromise in exchange for a lower budget. This type of approach shows that you stand behind your brand and your work and there’s nothing wrong with that! Additionally, while remaining confident, be sure to emphasize your understanding of their position and that you respect their budget and project parameters.
Keep the relationship—Always remain committed to keeping a good relationship. Whether you plan to work with this person in the future again or not, make sure things end on a positive and respectful note. Keep in mind, even if you’re not working directly with them, they know a lot of people who may also be potential client opportunities and you want to be sure you’re handling things professionally and maintaining your overall reputation. End the conversation by suggesting that perhaps something will come up in the future that you could collaborate on, or even refer them to someone who you believe may be a better fit for this particular project. They’ll remember that even if things didn’t work out between the two of you, you were helpful and that goes a long way! Lastly, end your email or conversation by wishing them the best and keeping communication open by saying you’ll talk to them soon and to keep in touch!
Rejection is a topic we often like to avoid, however, my hope is that through reading this you were able to grasp a better understanding of some of the benefits that can come from it when handled properly. It often helps to process rejection with others who genuinely care and understand—whether it’s a spouse, business partner, or coach, asking for help will only benefit you in the long run and help as you grow in your leadership! Cheers, to all of the lessons learned as we seek to become the best versions of ourselves!