Jul
15
The word that doesn’t work – “Not”
I just succumbed to that little word, “not.” I thought I was asked to take a specific action, so I did. Later, I discovered the request included the word, “not.” I did the exact opposite of what I was requested to do. I am mortified.
My lesson:
1. Read requests *very* carefully
2. Don’t assume I already know what people want
3. Be on the alert for the word, “not”
My advice to others: Reword any sentence that includes the word “not.” This is a huge piece of what Ray and I teach in our Strategic Bragging workshops. People just don’t hear or read the word, “not.” Read my story about “not.”
Instead of saying, “I do not want vinaigrette dressing,” say, “I want honey mustard dressing.” Instead of saying, “Do not buy me jewelery,” say, “I would love to have flowers.”
Instead of saying, “Do not forget your raincoat,” say, “Remember your raincoat.”
Nearly all negative requests can be reworded to positive ones. You are more likely to get what you want if you ask for a positive.