How to Deal With Pushy as Cuts

2min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

" empowered refusal is that because it is based on your identity, it's easier to withstand that external pressure and stay steadfast," she says. "Send no by email is much easier than repeating your no face-to-face." Technology can also be used as a buffer against pushback from people who will not take no for an answer. 'In a boundary sounds defensive, whereas these policies sound more forward thinking'

Saying no can seem risky. We worry about offending others, damaging relationships, or hurting our own reputation. But as Vanessa Patrick says, no is an empowering word that gives us greater agency in our lives.

Saying no “is not a rejection of the other person,” says Patrick, a professor of Marketing at the University of Houston. Instead, it allows you to set boundaries and “[give] voice to what you believe and what you care about.” In her book, The Power of Saying No, Patrick introduces what she calls “empowered refusal,” a way of saying no that’s rooted in one’s identity, values, priorities, and preferences. “An empowered no,” she says, “is about us, not a rejection of the other person.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Patrick and host Matt Abrahams explore how to use the power of no, how to move from strategy forming to strategy implementation, and how to resist momentary pleasures that distract us from our larger goals.

Connect: