The ability to elegantly handle objections is a key success strategy in the workplace. It is not easy to do though as the objections are often about things we care about – either at work or personally. Because we care about them (probably more than the other person) we are more likely to respond with our emotions rather than logic. Here are some ways to handle objections without arguing or getting defensive – and more likely to get you a good outcome.
1.
Think about how to handle the objection in terms of the bigger picture. Instead of arguing, help the person to see it from another perspective. For example you want to have a team away day to help improve team communication but your boss says they can’t let you take a day out from the business. Instead of arguing on the point of why you think you CAN take them out of the business for a day, put the objection in the wider context – in this case the team’s overall efficiency.
You could say ‘learning to communicate better and overcome and difficulties within the team will make us much more efficient in future as we won’t have to spend time during the working day resolving problems that could be avoided with better team understanding’.
Read more about setting boundaries well in John’s new book Time Mastery, available from Amazon.
2.
One of the problems with people saying ‘no’ is that we take the rejection as a personal thing. This making people feel angry at the injustice or feel bad for asking in the first place. This drains your energy and brings you down. Keep perspective by using one of the following reminders when someone says ‘no’:
- It has nothing to do with you and is merely a reflection of their own priorities.
- The objection is about the issue and not you personally.
- It’s just a ‘no’ now, not forever.
If the word ‘no’ causes an emotional reaction in you, take time out and take a few deep breaths before responding. It is always best to respond in a calm measured way, and angry or defensive reaction will only make things worse. Download this free relaxation track to help you get more perspective and balance your emotions.
