PowerPhrase: So, That’s a No?

powerphrase icon2“You said you were going to make hard-boiled eggs. Did you?”

I replied that he had told me he didn’t like hard-boiled eggs. So, when I decided to have eggs for breakfast, I didn’t see any reason to hard-boil any.

  • So, that’s a no?

…he asked. His response taught me a lot about how I communicate.

I had immediately gone into an explanation of why I hadn’t made hard-boiled eggs. It was a slightly defensive reaction. I realized later that he simply wanted to know if all the eggs in the carton were raw before he cracked some open to make his omelet. 

I did everything but answer his question. Of course, had he asked if the eggs were all still raw or if there were some hard-boiled ones mixed in, I might have answered more directly.

I like the way he clarified my answer. It made me conscious of how indirect my response was. I caught myself doing something I often note other people doing. I often find that people go into long explanations instead answering my questions. For example, if I ask if someone is available to work, I often get an in-depth run-down of everything that person is doing. I feel like I’ve been taken down rabbit holes and am not sure what the point was.

  • So, that’s a no?

Pretty simple, really.

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