see “No” for what it is. Rather than harming them or those they negotiate with, “No” protects and benefits all parties in an exchange. “No” creates safety, security, and the feeling of control. It’s a requirement to implementable success. It’s a pause, a nudge, and a chance for the speaker to articulate what they do want. As you can see, “No” has a lot of skills. ■“No” allows the real issues to be brought forth; ■“No” protects people from making—and lets them correct—ineffective decisions; ■“No” slows things down so that people can freely embrace their decisions and the agreements they enter
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