The Power of a Positive No : How to Say No and Still Get to Yes

No is perhaps the most important and certainly the most powerful word in the language. Every day we find ourselves in situations where we need to say No-to people at work, at home, and in our communities-because No is the word we must use to protect ourselves and to stand up for everything and everyone that matters to us. But as we all know, the wrong No can also destroy what we most value by alienating and angering people. That's why saying No the right way is crucial. The secret to saying No without destroying relationships lies in the art of the Positive No, a proven technique that anyone can learn. This indispensable book gives you a simple three-step method for saying a Positive No. It will show you how to assert and defend your key interests; how to make your No firm and strong; how to resist the other side's aggression and manipulation; and how to do all this while still getting to Yes. In the end, the Positive No will help you get not just to any Yes but to the right Yes, the one that truly serves your interests. Based on William Ury's celebrated Harvard University course for managers and professionals, The Power of a Positive No offers concrete advice and practical examples for saying No in virtually any situation. Whether you need to say No to your customer or your coworker, your employee or your CEO, your child or your spouse, you will find in this book the secret to saying No clearly, respectfully, and effectively. In today's world of high stress and limitless choices, the pressure to give in and say Yes grows greater every day, producing overload and overwork, expanding e-mail and eroding ethics. Never has No been more needed. A Positive No has the power to profoundly transform our lives by enabling us to say Yes to what counts-our own needs, values, and priorities. Understood this way, No is the new Yes. And the Positive No may be the most valuable life skill you'll ever learn! "From the Hardcover edition." “William Ury brings a marvelous blend of experience, insight, integrity and warmth to his work. In this wonderful book he teaches us how to say No—with grace and effect—so that we might create an even better Yes.” —Jim Collins, author of Good to Great No is perhaps the most important and certainly the most powerful word in the language. Every day we find ourselves in situations where we need to say No–to people at work, at home, and in our communities–because No is the word we must use to protect ourselves and to stand up for everything and everyone that matters to us. But as we all know, the wrong No can also destroy what we most value by alienating and angering people. That’s why saying No the right way is crucial. The secret to saying No without destroying relationships lies in the art of the Positive No, a proven technique that anyone can learn. This indispensable book gives you a simple three-step method for saying a Positive No. It will show you how to assert and defend your key interests; how to make your No firm and strong; how to resist the other side’s aggression and manipulation; and how to do all this while still getting to Yes. In the end, the Positive No will help you get not just to any Yes but to the right Yes, the one that truly serves your interests. Based on William Ury’s celebrated Harvard University course for managers and professionals, The Power of a Positive No offers concrete advice and practical examples for saying No in virtually any situation. Whether you need to say No to your customer or your coworker, your employee or your CEO, your child or your spouse, you will find in this book the secret to saying No clearly, respectfully, and effectively. In today’s world of high stress and limitless choices, the pressure to give in and say Yes grows greater every day, producing overload and overwork, expanding e-mail and eroding ethics. Never has No been more needed. A Positive No has the power to profoundly transform our lives by enabling us to say Yes to what counts–our own needs, values, and priorities. Understood this way, No is the new Yes. And the Positive No may be the most valuable life skill you’ll ever learn. A practical three-step method for saying no in any situation—without losing the deal or the relationship, from the author of Possible and Getting Past No “In this wonderful book, William Ury teaches us how to say No—with grace and effect—so that we might create an even better Yes.”—Jim Collins, author of Good to Great In The Power of a Positive No, William Ury of Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation teaches you how to take the next step toward getting what you want. It all begins with the most powerful and perhaps most important word in any situation: No. But saying the wrong kind of No can destroy what we value and alienate others. That's why saying No the right way—to people at work, at home, and in our communities—is crucial. You'll learn how to:• Assert your own interests while respecting the other side's• Use power effectively• Defuse the other side's attack, manipulation, and guilt tactics• Reduce stress and anxiety• Develop healthier relationships• Stand up for yourself without stepping on the other person's toesIn today's world of high stress and limitless choices, the pressure to give in and say Yes grows greater every day, producing overload and overwork, expanding e-mail and eroding ethics. Never has No been more needed. And with The Power of a Positive No, we can learn how to use No to profoundly transform our lives by enabling us to say Yes to what counts—our own needs, values, and priorities. In today's world of high stress and limitless choices, the pressure to give in and say Yes grows ever greater, producing overload and overwork and eroding ethics. Every day we find ourselves in situations where we need to say No--to people at work, at home, and in our communities--because No is the word we must use to protect ourselves and to stand up for what matters to us. But the wrong No can also destroy what we most value by alienating and angering people--that's why saying No the right way is crucial. This book gives you a simple three-step method for saying a Positive No. It will show you how to assert and defend your key interests; how to make your No firm and strong; how to resist the other side's aggression and manipulation; and how to do all this while still getting to Yes.--From publisher description