Ask So You Will Receive 113
You have no reason to get upset if you don’t get something you
never really asked for. Say what you mean. If you want some-
thing, ask! Clearly, directly, ask!
PowerPhrases to Make Requests Mean
What You Say
If you need a raise to stay with the company, explain that when
you request your raise. If you know leaving is not an option for
you, don’t mention it. Only mention it if you mean it.
If you need an assistant to meet a deadline, say so. If you
are saying that simply because you prefer help even though you
don’t really need it, leave it out. And if you offer anything in
exchange for what you want be certain you follow through.
The PowerPhrase to communicate your intended course of
action is
I will...PowerPhrases Requests Are Not Mean
When You Say Them
Julie and Jennifer were standing around the reception desk com-
plaining about one of the directors in the company. Julie said,
“She never asks us to do things. She just drops it on the desk
and says, ‘Here—do this.’ Well, I’m not going to do it. I’m just
going to tell her I couldn’t get to it. And the next time she gets
a fax, I’m not dropping everything to bring it to her.” Jennifer
replied, “I wouldn’t drop everything for her if she was drown-
ing.”