Out-neutral / Advice url
Expand your choices
- Don’t knock it till you try it.
- Reach for the stars.
- Reach for the sky.
- There’s more than one way to skin a cat.
- Give it one more try.
- Don’t snub your nose at it.
- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- It depends on what you want to do.
Expand your choices
In-negative / Explaining url
Coming home drunk
- I couldn’t help myself.
- I guess things got to me.
- I did it on the spur of the moment.
- My head is spinning.
- I’m about to drop.
- Unfortunately it’s become my security blanket.
- It’s been a rough night.
- I feel like a worn out dish rag.
- With a little bit of luck things will soon get back to normal.
- The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
- I could use some moral support.
- I hate to admit it, but it was beyond my control.
- I’ve never had any problems in that area before.
- There’s a first time for everything.
- You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
- I'm going through a rough time.
Coming home drunk
Out-neutral / Advice url
Perspective-2
- You got to remember that.
- Truth is stranger than fiction.
- Things are not always what they seem.
- The whole is sometimes bigger than the sum of its parts.
- Take stock of your future.
- Try to put yourself in his shoes.
- Don’t take things for granted.
- Saying and doing are entirely different things.
- Live each day as if it were the last.
- Today is all you have.
- You can’t generalize, every situation is different.
Perspective-2
Out-positive / Encouragement url
For a fellow worker who is hesitant to present a new idea to the boss
- There’s nothing to be afraid of.
- You have nothing to worry about.
- Don’t sell yourself short.
- What’s holding you back?
- What could go wrong?
- Your fears are your worst enemy.
- I'm sure they're going to appreciate your trying.
- You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
- At the very worst, they won't use your idea, but it’s certainly not going to hurt anything.
- What's the downside?
- Grab the brass ring.
- Maybe they’ll take you up on it.
- What’s the worst case scenario?
- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- No pain, no gain.
- Speak up and make yourself heard.
- You don’t have to sell yourself to me, screw up your courage and say what you have to say to the powers that be.
- Just remind yourself that speaking up is not a bad choice, mind you.
- Don’t worry, they’ll understand.
- They’re on the up and up, and they’re not going to pull any punches.
- You need to stand up for yourself.
- I think you should jump at the opportunity.
- It never hurts to ask.
For a fellow worker who is hesitant to present a new idea to the boss
Out-positive / Agreement url
What do you think of our making a budget to keep track of our expenses?
- You took the words right out of my mouth.
- I think that it makes a lot of sense.
- It would certainly be a step in the right direction.
- That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking.
- You’re probably right.
- I agree that this is what we need right now.
- Great minds think alike.
What do you think of our making a budget to keep track of our expenses?
In-positive / Realizing url
Realizing that the maid has been stealing money
- There’s no way around it.
- I hate to admit it.
- It slipped out of her mouth and she showed his true colors.
- I now see her as she really is.
- I’ve had a hunch for the longest time.
- It’s finally out in the clear for everyone to see.
- She finally let the cat out of the bag and told us what really happened.
- I heard it through the grape vine.
- I suspected as much.
- I should have known.
- I know it sounds far-fetched, but I kid you not.
- Perhaps I should have seen that coming.
- In retrospect, I was blind as a bat.
Realizing that the maid has been stealing money
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Let’s work things out-3
- It’s easy to have 20-20 vision about things that happened in the past.
- We both have to admit that neither one of us saw it coming.
- There are no guarantees.
- Let’s get it out in the open.
- So what’s the bottom line?
- Now let’s get things out in the open.
- We both want the same thing.
- Let’s have the whole story out in the open.
- I’ll be glad to answer any questions you might have.
- Take all the time in the world.
- It doesn’t have to be that way.
- If that’s all right with you.
- Does it really matter?
- I’ll give it a try.
Let’s work things out-3
Out-neutral / Advice url
Caution-2
- Leave it well enough alone.
- You’ll regret it in the morning.
- Let sleeping dogs lie.
- Don’t stir up a hornets nest.
- It’s going to backfire on you.
- Don’t rock the boat.
- Your actions might actually make it harder for you to accomplish what you want.
- Those are famous last words.
- Take it one step at a time.
- Sink your teeth into it, and take your time to appreciate the pros and cons of the new situation before you call it a day.
- Hold that thought.
- You lucked out on that one, but next time you may not be as lucky.
- Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- It’s always good to ask.
- It's spreading like wild fire.
- Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
- Don’t jump the gun.
- Don’t even think about it.
- You’re leaving yourself wide open.
- I understand how much you want it, but it costs an arm and a leg, and it’s just not worth it.
- Easy does it.
Caution-2
In-neutral / Acceptance url
Just missing the train
- That’s not so terrible.
- That’s how it is sometimes.
- So be it.
- There’s more where that came from.
- That’s the way it goes.
- What can you do?
Just missing the train
Out-neutral / Advice url
Skeptic
- The chances of that happening are pretty close to zero.
- If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you.
- Nothing lasts forever.
- You can’t believe everything you hear.
- I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you.
- It’s not worth it.
- I think you’re expecting something that’s not realistic.
- I don’t think that’s such a good idea.
- Lightning never strikes twice in the same spot.
- That’s not a good idea.
- There’s more to it than meets the eye.
- You can’t judge a book by its cover.
- It’s not what it’s cracked up to be.
- Take it with a grain of salt.
- You have to read between the lines.
Skeptic
In-positive / Realizing url
The day after a stock market crash
- I may not understand all the details, but I get the general idea and see the big picture.
- I could see it coming a mile away.
- It stands to reason.
- By process of elimination it’s the only answer that makes sense.
- So there you have it.
- I had a hunch we were getting very close to the end.
- We’ve been all through this before, and it’s deja-vu all over again.
- By the time it dawned on us, it was too late.
- It looks like we’re going to have to start from scratch.
- These things just sneak up on you.
- I see this as a wakeup call.
- This really taught me a lesson that I won’t quickly forget.
- I'm going to have to re-examine and think through all of my assumptions.
- It's very sobering.
- It happened when I least suspected it.
- I wonder why I didn't see that coming.
- I turned a blind eye to all the warning signals.
The day after a stock market crash
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-3
- Don’t go back on your word.
- Let’s get back to basics.
- Give me a fair shake.
- I think you’re just trying to soften me up.
- Don’t jump to conclusions.
- Don’t put me on the spot.
- Be up front with me, and don’t go behind my back.
- I wouldn’t be too sure of yourself if I were you.
- You’d better be on the level.
- Don’t whittle away at me.
- It seems like everything I say falls on deaf ears.
- I’m a man of principle, and I’m not going to compromise my principles or standards to stoop and do something like that.
- I’m not made of money.
Try to negotiate correctly & fairly-3