The Slow No: When Good Ideas Stall In Corporate Corridors

I was flying back to Johannesburg from Algiers via Istanbul, Turkey, last week. My flight out of Algiers was delayed, and by the time we landed in Istanbul, I had already missed my connecting flight. Tired and frustrated, I rushed to the transfer desk, hoping they would  rebook me quickly. Without much conversation, the lady at the counter printed a new boarding pass. The new flight? 24 hours later.

I blinked. “Are you offering hotel accommodation, at least?”

“No,” she replied firmly.

I asked to speak to a manager.  I have traveled enough to know that sometimes escalation changes things. The manager came, was polite and respectful, but the response remained unchanged, still no.

I was annoyed, really annoyed. Later, when my initial wave of annoyance had passed, I had to admit, I was oddly impressed. The clarity, the firmness, the decisiveness of their response was… refreshing.

I couldn’t help but contrast this with some of my experiences in corporate over the last two decades where decisions are rarely that direct. You don’t get a clear yes. But you also don’t get a firm no. This is the theme of today’s article, so let’s get into it.

You have put in the hours. The research is done. The insight is grounded. The idea is fresh, aligned, and promising. Your deck is airtight. You have dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s.  The financials are solid, execution plan is well laid out with a detailed gantt chart. You walk into the meeting. You are cautiously hopeful because you have prepared well. But … what you don’t get is a straight “yes”, and it’s not a clear “no” either.

You get… more questions.
“Can we quantify the risk a little more?”
“Can you check with legal again?”
“Can you also do a consumer deep dive in KZN?.”
“Can you add a slide on X and Y?”

And so begins the loop. Week after week, it’s “add this”, “remove that”, “speak to xxx” “update the forecast”. More and more open action points until one day, the project just… stops coming up in meetings, and you also finally admit what you had started to suspect. You are getting a Slow No.

What is a Slow No?
A Slow No is when decision makers don’t reject your idea outright,  but they also have no intention of saying yes either. Instead of giving a direct response, they delay, deflect, or keep moving the goalposts. It’s feedback with a polite smile and  open action items that never end.

I don’t believe it’s always malicious. Depending on the organization, sometimes it’s fear of risk, politics, indecision, misalignment, or just plain bureaucracy. But regardless of the reason, it’s deeply frustrating for anyone  involved in the work. Not because the answer is no,  but because no one will say it out loud.

Why You Might Get a Slow No
Here are some of the most common reasons an idea gets stuck in limbo:

1. Fear of Risk: Leaders may love innovation… in theory. But bold ideas come with risk, and not everyone wants to own that.

2. Lack of Alignment: Sometimes, senior stakeholders aren’t on the same page, and no one wants to be the one to say it out loud.

3. Timing Issues: The idea might be solid, but it could be the wrong time, there might be more urgent priorities, or other structural changes  happening in the background.

4. Politics & Power Plays: Ideas sometimes die because of who is presenting them, not what they are about. This happens more often than we care to admit.

5. Avoidance: Some leaders don’t like confrontation. They find it easier to stall than to say, “We’re not moving forward.”

How To Navigate A Slow No
So what do you do when you find yourself in the fog of indecision?

1. Read The Signs Early: If the feedback loops keep circling without real traction, pay attention.

2. Ask The Hard Question: In the most direct and respectful manner ask “Is there genuine intent to move forward with this, or is this not a priority at the moment?”

3. Document The Journey: Track the requests, the revisions, the actions. Protect your work and your reputation.

4. Know When To Let Go: Sometimes the most professional move you can make is to stop pushing and refocus your energy elsewhere.

5. Detach Your Self Worth: A Slow No is not a reflection of your ability or self worth. Sometimes the system just isn’t ready, the timing isn’t right or any other reason that is not about you as an individual.

If you are in a decision-making seat, the rest of this article speaks to you directly.

Dear Leaders…. Please Don’t Be That Guy!
Don’t string people along. Teams invest time, energy, late nights, and hope into projects you may already know aren’t going anywhere. If it’s a no, say so, clearly, decisively and early enough. A clear no gives teams the gift of closure. A slow no chips away at morale and kills trust.

Biblical Parallel And Leadership Lessons

In the book of Exodus, God sends Moses to Pharaoh with a direct request: “Let my people go.”
Pharaoh didnt flinch. He didnt delay or request more time to think or form a committee to explore implications. He said no clearly and consistently.  He didn’t sugarcoat his refusal. And as frustrating as that was for Moses, it gave him clarity. Moses knew where he stood. He wasn’t left circling back with revised slides. He could move forward, escalate back to The One who had sent him. However disappointing the answer might have been, it was clear.

Modern corporate life could learn something from that. I know what you might be thinking that Pharaoh isn’t exactly a great example to learn from. However, from a leadership perspective, even villains can teach us a thing or two.
1. Being decisive is important. Pharaoh didn’t waffle. When Moses presented the request, his response was immediate and firm. He said no and meant it. While his answer was oppressive and wrong, the leadership principle of clarity stands.

2. The dangers of leading from ego. Pharaoh’s refusal wasn’t just about policy, it was about pride. Even when it was clear that his resistance was destroying his own people, he held on, not because it made sense, but because he couldn’t bring himself to back down. When your identity is wrapped in always being right, you lose the ability to lead wisely. The most effective leaders are the ones who can listen, adjust, and even change course when necessary.


Dear Leaders….Again
As a leader, you may think you are being kind by not saying no directly. But vagueness is not kindness, clarity is. A clear no gives your team the closure they need to move on, refocus, and innovate again. A Slow No, on the other hand, saps motivation, creates confusion, and undermines trust in the leadership process. Your team deserves your honesty.
They deserve to know where they stand.

So yes I was annoyed by the 24-hour delay and airport food that was so expensive I almost needed to refinance my house 😢 Somewhere along  the way I found myself doing what I always do when life throws a spanner, I started taking notes. You miss a flight, and end up with a blog post. You get a no and walk away with leadership lessons.

Gratitude: This week I am grateful for all of you who take time to read these articles. This week I received really encouraging feedback from weekly readers and for that I am grateful to God. Thank you for engaging. Please subscribe and leave your views and comments.

On my playlist this week is You Waited by Travis Greene. Are you attending any of his shows this July across Africa?

Gratefully