If you have to say ‘No’ to someone, but want to minimize the damage to your relationship with them, identify the impact of saying ‘Yes’.  

Help them understand why you are saying no by pointing out the logical consequences of agreement.  If they can see the negative impact of Yes, they may alter their proposal to make it better, or they will at least understand (and not take it personally) when you say No.  Framing a “No” as an “I can’t say yes because…” is subtly more positive.

“The consequences of going down that road are…”
“If I say ‘yes’, it means…”
“I just can’t say yes, yet, because…”

To learn conflict resolution skills that you can use at work and in your personal life, please visit our Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop page to learn more about upcoming in-person and instructor-led online sessions.

To improve your negotiation skills and get the results you want while negotiating, please visit our Become a Powerful Negotiator Workshop page to learn more about upcoming in-person and instructor-led online sessions.

To gain skills to handle difficult conversations and difficult people with confidence, please visit our Dealing With Difficult People Workshop page to learn more about upcoming in-person and instructor-led online sessions.