[saasinator]

You can say "no" without saying "no". Try this, "We can do that, but I've got a lot on my plate this week. Shall we log the task for next week or shuffle some tasks around different sprints to make room for it?"

There you go, 9 times out of 10 they will shelve the idea.

[stuxnet79]

Not a fan of passive-aggressive tactics. I trust my colleagues to be forthright in their answers so giving a convoluted yes when it is actually a no builds distrust and resentment on my end. Sometimes a question is just a question and deserves an honest, no fluff answer.