It’s a word we often dread hearing, but what if inviting “no” could actually be the secret to getting to “yes”?
People resist when they feel cornered or pressured. However, when we acknowledge their right to say “no,” we reduce the pressure and open up space for genuine consideration and dialogue. Instead of pushing for agreement, we allow the other person to feel in control — and that’s when real influence happens.
This is the second of five videos that explore how we can reduce reactance - the natural inclination to push back when we detect someone could be threatening our autonomy.
In video 1, we looked at the principle: Push Less to Influence More.