THE ART OF SAYING ‘NO’ How to Turn Down Proposals That Are Bad for Business
2. Prioritize the numbers over your emotions. Just because you like an employee or trust a business partner doesn’t mean that the raise or buyout they’re proposing is a smart move. Remember, a deal shouldn’t just make you feel good or increase your revenue — it should also increase your profit. Run the numbers, and make them your top priority. It will be easier to say “no” if they don’t add up.
Have you seen the movie “Yes Man” with Jim Carrey? In it, Carrey plays a bank loan officer named Carl who turns his life around by vowing to say “Yes”
to opportunities instead of “No.” At first, this is a positive thing. But then, the yeses catch up with him. By the end of the movie, Carl realizes that some proposals — like the offer to sleep with his ex-wife — absolutely deserve a “NO.” Unlike Carl, most of us are born “Yes Men.” Psychologically, “no” is one of the hardest words to say in the English language. We’re taught from a young age to do what we’re told, and that instinct can be tough to turn off. You would be amazed how many business owners take money-losing deals just because they can’t say “no” to their friends or employees.
3. Remember your self-respect. You don’t owe your clients, employees, or partners the opportunity to walk all over you. Even if they use scare tactics (see Page 2), you CAN take control and say, “no,” and it’s far better to put your real opinion out there, for you and for them. As author and psychology professor Dr. Hank Davis once said, “Sometimes ‘no’ is the most honorable and respectful thing you can say to someone.”
Are you a “Yes Entrepreneur”? If you’ve given in to bad proposals in the past, take these three steps when negotiating your next deal.
Want to learn more? Check out “The Book of NO: 250 Ways to Say It — and Mean It —And Stop People-Pleasing Forever” by Dr. Susan Newman. It might just revolutionize the way you do business.
1. Go in prepared to walk away. If you’re not willing to walk, then you don’t really have a seat at the negotiating table. You’re setting yourself up for “yes” from the outset.
Easy & Healthy Green Rice Inspired by 101Cookbooks.com
Ingredients •
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1/2 cup yellow onions, finely diced 1/2 cup green peppers, diced
1 cup tightly packed spinach leaves
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1 cup tightly packed kale leaves, stems removed
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock 2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 tsp kosher salt
Directions 1. In a blender, purée spinach and kale with vegetable stock, coconut milk, and salt. Set aside. 2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. 3. Stir in rice and cook and toast for 1–2 minutes before adding the blended mixture. Increase heat to bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid has evaporated, 15–20 minutes. 5. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
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