Summary: You know the moment: a mood-veering, thought-steering, pressure-packed interaction with a colleague, boss, or client when the right thing to say is stuck in a verbal traffic jam between your brain and your mouth. This analysis paralysis occurs when your brain suddenly becomes overtaxed by worry or pressure. Consequently, you find yourself unable to respond to a mental, psychological, or emotional challenge, and you fail to execute in the critical moment. Many people experience this at work. But there are seven key phrases you can use, tailored to specific situations. You can keep them in your back pocket for when these kinds of moments happen, route your response with them, and redirect the situation to regain control.
Situation #4: You have to say “no.” Sam sends Julia a text at 9 PM on Saturday night, with an idea that could give the company an edge in customer service’s call hold times. Julia has been asked to work more collaboratively with Sam, but she has been avoiding it because Sam is unreliable. What you should say: “This is a good launching point.”
Saying no is tough to do, especially when trying to demonstrate you are hardworking and a team player. It often seems easier to say yes to appease others, flash the right optics, or get the task out of the way. Why it works: Spoken with a tone of enthusiasm and flexibility, this positive statement allows you to bow out of the initial request, while protecting your reputation by:
• reframing their idea as a starting point
• allowing you to entertain the request without committing to it
• creating the option to shape the request
• doling out diplomacy not rejection Julia texted Sam “This is a good launching point! I’ll get my team together to prepare the data, and reach out to you with ideas of how we can approach the call hold times.” (View Highlight)
