The Power of a Positive No

The Power of a Positive No
Willian Ury
Bantam Books
ISBN: 978-0-553-80498-0
Non-Fiction, Self Help
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

No. Such a simple word yet it’s so hard to use. Most of us take on far too much because we are afraid to say no and for good reason. We’ve all had experiences were we did actually muster the courage to say no and felt extremely guilty afterwards. Moreover, the person who we said no to often gets mad at us and that simple word starts a huge drama. In the end, it would have been much easier just to shut our mouths.
Evidentially, our problem wasn’t saying the word but in how we go about saying No. The Power of a Positive No states that No actually starts with a Yes. Sounds confusing? Not really. This Yes is basically an affirmation of what you want to do rather than focusing on the negative. I want to spend time with my family at the beach rather than doing overtime this weekend. Thus, your aim now becomes how to get that time with your family. After that realization, the whole tone of the conversation changes. You can be more open and respectful of the other person while still being strong in what is most important to you. Some very useful skills to possess.