Jennifer Kennedy (jenniferkennedy@barberinstitute.org) is Vice President, Governance, Risk Management & Compliance at Barber National Institute in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.

• linkedin.com/in/jennifer-kennedy-b8671057

I often tell people that “no” is a complete sentence. In theory, “no” does not require explanation, apology, or justification. However, in the real world, and especially in the compliance world, saying “no” can be much more difficult to navigate.

Leo Babauta has written, “It’s a simple fact that you can never be productive if you take on too many commitments — you simply spread yourself too thin and will not be able to get anything done, at least not well or on time.”^[1]