Resistance Skills:
Effective Responses to Negative Pressure
1. Get the attention of the person(s) doing the negative presuring:
• Use her or his name.
• Make eye contact when speaking to the person.
• Say, “Please listen to me!”
2. State your “no” decision:
• Use “I” message.
• Use a firm voice.
• Reinforce your message with body language.
3. When pressured:
• Use self-control.
• Restate your “no” decision.
• Suggest an alternative subject, if appropriate.
• Leave/walk away.
4. Try other ways to say no.
• Use humor.
• Change the focus.
• Reverse the pressure in a positive direction.
• Repeat yourself as often as necessary.
• Delay your response.
• Recruit help.
