Saying no can be awkward, guilt inducing, nerve racking, embarrassing, even risky to friendship and and career, says William Ury, author of a new book, The Power of Positive No: How to Say No and Still Get To Yes.
Not saying no when you hold resentment can also lead to angry outbursts. To say yes to the right things, you have to say no to a lot of other things.
The trick to being a good “no sayer” is to serve your “no” sandwiched between two “yeses.”
For instance: “yes, I would love to do that with you, but I can’t do it this afternoon. Thanks for asking: let’s do it some other time.”
