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SAYING-NO-AT-WORK5 MIN READ

Worked walkthrough: turn a raw no into a positive no

Transform a blunt refusal into a positive no script with a clear alternative.

Rewrite this raw no: "No, I cannot review this today." The requester needs proposal feedback, but you only have 45 minutes and the pricing section is the highest-risk part. Positive No Script: first yes -> clear no -> bounded yes, checked with DESC. The common trap is to add apologies and vague maybe language until the boundary is no longer clear. First yes Name the outcome: "I want the proposal review to be useful." This frames the no as care for quality, not lack of willingness. Clear no Refuse the unsafe version: "I cannot review all 34 pages today without…

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