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saying-no

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Decline a request, push back on scope, or protect priorities without burning the relationship. Use when asked how to say no, turn down a request, push back on your boss/stakeholder, decline extra work, or protect the roadmap from a pet feature. Produces a graceful, firm response — the no, the honest why, an alternative or trade-off, and the exact wording, tuned to who's asking.

skills/saying-no/SKILL.md

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Nov 10, 2026
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# Saying No Skill

Most people say yes to things they should decline because they don't know how to say no without seeming
difficult — and then over-commit, miss what matters, or resent it. A good no is clear, respectful, and
offers a path: it declines the request while honouring the relationship and, often, reframes it as a
trade-off rather than a flat refusal. This skill writes that no.

## Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided:

- **The request** — what's being asked, by whom (boss, peer, customer, exec), and the relationship/power dynamic.
- **Why you want to decline** — capacity, priorities, fit, or it's the wrong call (the honest reason shapes the no).
- **Constraints** — can you offer an alternative, a later yes, or a trade-off? Is a flat no required?
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