Tuesday shorts: 9/18/07

I posted a few weeks ago about Saying NO, and I recently ran across a post on The Marketing Mix that suggests 7 ways to say no in a post titled, How to say “no, thanks”.  After all, as is so often true with communication, it’s just as important to know how to say it as what the “it” is that you want to say.  Ilise Benun offers 7 ways to say “no” (courtesy of marketing coach Susan DePue) including the “Gracious NO” (“I really appreciate you asking me, but my time is already committed”) and the “I Know Someone Else NO” (“I just don’t have the time to help you, but let me recommend someone else I know”).  It’s a handy guide to a variety of ways to say that magical one-syllable word.

Peter L. Smith, Managing Director of BCG’s San Francisco office and sometimes-blogger on Counsel to Counsel, has started a new blog called ad arguendo: the blog of law and leadership.  The posts are unusual in their depth and approach (drawing on sources from ancient philosophers to Elvis) and often thought-provoking.  Not surprisingly, I was intrigued by recent interviews with a coach for lawyers (for those interested in continuing to practice) and a firm that provides career counseling for those who intend to leave practice, as well as a post on taking action to make a bad situation better, titled Don’t Succumb! Unlearning “Learned Helplessness” Among the Attorney Ranks.  Ad arguendo isn’t a blog for casual reading, but it’s likely to tickle your brain in stimulating directions.