When you're working in a high-pressure environment, everybody's requests are super time critical.

But they can't all be done at once.

So the biggest challenge for many professionals is how to say no to somebody who's more senior than them.

The trick is to not say "no" -- but to reframe the discussion to make things more manageable for you.

So here's a simple framework that you can start using at work tomorrow.

It's called the 4-D Framework.

The four components are:

• Delay: If the task is something that you should do but you just don't have the time right now, propose delaying the task until you have more time.
• De-scope: If there's a way to achieve the outcome with less work, then propose that as an alternative.
• Deflect: If you're too busy to do the task but the task is time critical, propose that another capable person complete the task.
• Dialogue: If all the above fail, then you need to have an honest conversation. Understand the other person's challenges, but stick to your boundaries and problem-solve with them.

Personally, I've found it very useful to always show empathy. Phrases like "I can see why this is so important..." and "I want to help you get this done..." are really powerful.