150 PowerPhrases in Action
My dog can do a better job than you can.Marie didn’t take the insult in. She also didn’t say,
Hire your dog!She said,
I find that remark very insulting. I am a professional
and I do expect to be treated as one.Marie taught Dr. Awful how to treat her from the very first day
and he listened.
Some people hear this story and wonder why Marie both-
ered. They say, “Someone who speaks that way doesn’t deserve
respect and isn’t worth the trouble.”
They may be right—but sometime you will have a situation
where it is worth your trouble to handle the Dr. Awfuls in your
life. You need to know how.
This was a big issue for me, because I grew up with a lot of
sarcasm and put-downs. I don’t have those in my life anymore.
Like Marie, I have rooted them out.
People give unkind criticism for three reasons: (1) they are
just plain mean and they have been getting away with it, (2)
they have a real concern and don’t know how to address the
issue directly, and (3) it is a habit they are unaware of. What-
ever reason, the cure is the same: PowerPhrases!
PowerPhrase Responses to Put-Downs
Are Short
Your best comeback is one to three sentences. Any more gives
the attacker ammunition for a rejoinder and sounds defensive.
PowerPhrases are as long as they need to be and no longer.