We all know someone who, like Oklahoma's Ado Annie, just "cain't say no." These folks accept every project. Every volunteer job. While everyone around them loves and appreciates them (or not), they're often tired and do little for themselves. Some people who fall into this group may not even realize they're on automated mode when agreeing to help.
The Book of No contains 250 scenarios and how to handle them so that you say no. Before the entering the bulk of the book that contains the scenarios, Susan Newman covers five basics to get you started with this No business as well as a 16-point "No Credo" to remind you that you have the right to say no. Saying no is a learned skill, and the scenarios can help the yes-person develop the courage to say no.
Each scenario poses a question or statement followed by three parts:
- What's going on here? - Explains the situation and possible motives.
- Response - How to respond so the answer ends in a No.
- Alert - A warning to help you the next time you get into the situation or contains insight so you better understand what's going on.
The scenarios are grouped into four areas for quick referencing: friends, family, work, and difficult people, which include situations with salespeople and those who provide services.
The book concludes with a bulleted list of key lessons to provide reinforcement to keep you focused on the road to accomplishing more of what you want and less of what others want. The brief introduction and conclusion with the well-sorted scenarios in between make the book a great tool for people who need support in their journey to say no.
Article comments
1 - Douglas Mays
Yeah, a good thing to learn for a co-dependent. When often the person asking is just setting you up for their own game. It is a trick how to say no yet maintaining the good side of the person asking without being retaliated upon for saying no.
oh, such complications. that is when it is hard to say no. Otherwise I have NO problem with it....