The Power of Saying No

**USA Today Bestseller**

"If you’re tired of agreeing to annoying asks and thankless tasks, read this book. The Power of Saying No offers the smartest advice I’ve ever encountered for declining requests without risking your reputation or your relationships. This essential guide will sharpen your mind and steel your spine to live life on your own terms." ―Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Regret, Drive, and To Sell Is Human

Stop saying yes. Start saying no. Change your life!

You have probably said “yes” to bosses, partners, family, friends, and even strangers, when you actually want to say "no." Maybe you wish you could say no more often, but you’re not sure how or if it’s even possible to do so. You’re not alone! We’re taught to say yes as often as we can. After all, if you say no, aren’t you likely to miss out on opportunities and sever important relationships? Isn’t saying no a harmony-buster?

In The Power of Saying No, award-winning professor and researcher Vanessa Patrick delves into the new science of saying no. She introduces the ground-breaking concept of “empowered refusal”―a proven framework for saying no that puts you in charge of your life―and reveals some surprising secrets about the power of the word no.

Dr. Patrick shares:

• Why empowered refusal is a valuable superskill that helps us say no in a way that does not invite pushback from others.
• The toolkit of three competencies you need to develop to effectively communicate an empowered no response.
• A framework to help separate the “good-for-me” from the “not-good-for-me” activities and engagements that come our way.
• How to establish and implement personal policies that empower your refusal.
• How to use empowered refusal to manage difficult askers, strengthen your relationships and realize your full potential.

It’s more important than ever to protect your time, focus on your top priorities, and use the power of saying no to reach your goals at work and at home. Empowered refusal is a unique, positive, and meaning-filled approach to managing your energy and ambition effectively, allowing you to make lasting, positive changes in your life.

This empowering book is a fascinating read that will help you with conflict resolution, boundaries, communication, and difficult conversations!

"The Power of Saying No will stay within arm’s reach for me. It offers the explanations and the inspirations I need to take charge of my life and career, with concrete tools to make it happen. I was able to put Vanessa Patrick's lessons to work the day I started reading the book and have continued every day since. Read this book. Twice." ―Dolly Chugh, author of The Person You Mean to Be and A More Just Future, Jacob B. Melnick Term Professor at the NYU Stern School of Business

Dr. Vanessa Patrick is a professor of marketing and the Associate Dean for Research at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. She has a PhD in Business from the University of Southern California and an MBA in marketing and a BS degree in microbiology and biochemistry from Bombay University in India.

Patrick has published dozens of research articles in top-tier academic journals in psychology, marketing, and management, and popular accounts of her work have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, Los Angeles Times, Business Week, Fast Company, Forbes, Huffington Post, and Washington Post. In her research, she investigates strategies to achieve personal mastery and inspire everyday excellence in oneself and others and is a pioneer in the study of everyday consumer aesthetics. Patrick lives with her family in Houston, Texas.