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  • The Power of a Positive No

  • How to Say No and Still Get to Yes
  • Written by: William Ury
  • Narrated by: William Ury
  • Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (29 ratings)

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The Power of a Positive No

Written by: William Ury
Narrated by: William Ury
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Publisher's Summary

No is perhaps the most important and certainly the most powerful word in the language. Every day we find ourselves in situations where we need to say no: to people at work, at home, and in our communities; because no is the word we must use to protect ourselves and to stand up for everything and everyone that matters to us.

But as we all know, the wrong no can also destroy what we most value by alienating and angering people. That's why saying no the right way is crucial. The secret to saying no without destroying relationships lies in the art of the Positive No, a proven technique that anyone can learn.

This indispensable audiobook will give you a simple three-step method for saying a Positive No. It will show you how to assert and defend your key interests; how to make your no firm and strong; how to resist the other side's aggression and manipulation; and how to do all this while still getting to yes. In the end, the Positive No will help you get not just to any yes but to the right yes, the one that truly serves your interests.

Based on William Ury's celebrated Harvard University course for managers and professionals, The Power of a Positive No offers concrete advice and practical examples for saying no in virtually any situation. Whether you need to say no to your customer or your coworker, your employee or your CEO, your child or your spouse, you will find in this book the secret to saying no clearly, respectfully, and effectively.

In today's world of high stress and limitless choices, the pressure to give in and say yes grows greater every day, producing overload and overwork, expanding e-mail and eroding ethics. Never has no been more needed. A Positive No has the power to profoundly transform our lives by enabling us to say yes to what counts: our own needs, values, and priorities.

©2007 William Ury (P)2007 Random House Inc.

What the critics say

"His reminders to consider the other person's perspective while asserting your own position create a clear, unambiguous path to win-win situations." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Power of a Positive No

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great tips

I found there were great tips in this book, but some of the examples I found unhelpful they just showed that it worked to say no.. those I felt like I could do without. The specific advise of how to give a positive no was useful.

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Delusional author

I stopped listening when this delusional, insufferable author claimed that he had a role in stopping political violence in Venezuela just because he convinced a bunch of people in a room to chant "Enough!" over and over again. Look how that turned out - the political and economic situation in Venezuela has significantly worsened since this situation took place. He pulls out the same tricks that every positive psychology author from this generation uses, particularly by praising 'untouchables' like Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, and Rosa Parks. The former of these two are individuals whose legacies have come under greater scrutiny in recent years. The author demonstrates horrendous judgement in these anecdotes that he provides. Returned.

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