Stop People-Pleasing: Dr. Sunita Sah Shares How to Assert Your No with Confidence
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Learn the Power of Saying No with Dr. Sunita Sah – Your Confidence-Building Guide
Let’s get real for a moment. If you're anything like me, you've spent years—maybe even decades—pleasing others. From childhood, I was told to "be good" and "be nice," which often meant going along with others, even when it didn’t align with my own beliefs. This conditioning has led me into adulthood with a tough habit: I find it challenging to voice my opinion, especially when it involves saying "no" to someone in a position of authority. Whether it’s saying no to a boss, a partner, or even a friend, the fear of disappointing or upsetting others is a powerful barrier.
Yet, here’s the truth: Owning your defiance is empowering. Embracing and expressing your ability to say no helps you cultivate what I call “quiet authority.” When we start to stand up for ourselves, we gain control over our lives and our decisions—and that’s when true power emerges. This isn't about being confrontational or aggressive, but about knowing what you stand for and having the confidence to uphold your boundaries.
In today’s episode of Hello Monday, we dive deep into this topic with Dr. Sunita Sah, a leading behavioral scientist and the author of Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes. Dr. Sah has spent years studying decision-making, ethics, and influence. She’s here to share why it’s so hard for us to say "no" and, more importantly, how we can overcome that fear to set strong, healthy boundaries.
Dr. Sah’s groundbreaking research explores how social pressures and our own fears of disappointing others shape our behaviors. She explains the concept of "insinuation anxiety"—the fear of giving negative feedback—and why it can be so difficult to speak up, especially when the person you’re saying no to holds power over you.
Dr. Sah provides actionable strategies to help us reframe our mindset and practice saying no with confidence. These insights can help you navigate authority dynamics, build confidence, and, most importantly, make decisions that align with your values and long-term goals.
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If you’ve ever struggled with saying no—whether at work, in relationships, or even within your own mind—this episode is for you. It’s time to let go of people-pleasing and start standing firm in your choices.
Listen now to hear how to own your defiance and build your confidence with Dr. Sunita Sah’s expert advice. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this conversation!
Join us for Office Hours: Let's stop people-pleasing!
It's our first Office Hours of the year! Senior producer Sarah Storm & friend-of-the-pod Andrew Seaman will go live at 3:30pm on Wednesday. Bring a coffee if you're on the East Coast. Grab your lunch if you're on the West Coast. Tune in to share reactions to the episode, talk about what's going on in your own career, and check in with other listeners—and us!
Hello Monday is LinkedIn News’ weekly podcast about the changing nature of work—and how we must change to keep up. It's hosted by me, Jessi Hempel. Subscribe to the show's newsletter.
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1 个月??
In the application consulting world when one is hired to perform services for a client, most companies will never say No. The only way around an undesirable or unproductive task is to convince the other side that these are not the right steps toward a solution. This has to be done delicately since egos are involved. Ofcourse cost is a good deterrent from unnecessary, unproductive tasks?? Overall, consulting requires more stress management. One has to care just enough without really being affected by these sort of things.
Rethinking the Future of Work, Sustainable Communities, Government Services | Sustainability | Going Remote First Newsletter | Coach | Consultant
1 个月Years ago when I was in the military I got yelled at by a senior officer because his boss told him to yell at me for something that he didn't like. My response was that given the same situation, I would do the same thing all over again. To which he threw an eraser at me. He actually got in trouble because he, nor his boss had permission from my boss to yell at me. Fast forward a couple years and I was at his retirement party. He came up to me and apologized for the eraser and told me how much he admired my conviction and that he was actually proud of me.
Musician, Composer, Song Writer at ConLouProtech, LLC
1 个月I agree In Jesus Name ??????????????????
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1 个月Hi there