Often, a team member receives an impractical request from another employee and immediately starts gathering information, building a case, preparing defenses and rebuttals, and scheduling meetings to argue against it. When my team member brings it to me, I ask, “Have you talked with them about this?” The answer is usually, “No.”
Your first step should be a simple conversation with the requester to try to work it out directly. This saves time and energy because you’ll learn their actual position instead of reacting to your imagined version of it. It also prevents unnecessary meetings and avoids pulling in people who don’t need to be involved.
Most people we work with are reasonable—treat them that way. Have the conversation. Explain your perspective and try to understand theirs. If you’re still not convinced afterward, tell them you’d like to gather more information. Starting with this simple step will save you time and energy because you’ve grounded your next actions in reality, not assumption.