Seeing NO as a Beginning

As an internal consultant in municipal government I was always trying to find ways to make the results of training programs practical and long-lasting. I often got a resounding "no!" when I proposed something new. You know the reasons � �it won't work here�, �employees can't take time away from their work�, �we don't have the money�.

I was persistent - and creative.

I think that every objection can become the seed of how to make an idea work. And I was able to create a city-wide mentoring program doing just that.

So, �we don't have money� became �let's create an all volunteer program�.

�Our employees are paranoid about talking about their jobs� became �let's have cross-agency matching�. �No one will release employees� became �let's create a program where the mentees schedule meetings on their own time�.

This kind of thinking and persistence led to a comprehensive mentoring program for supervisors and managers that spanned all 50+ New York City agencies and authorities that continued long after I moved into external consulting. And that kind of thinking serves me well in developing strategies for my clients now.

The moral? Remember that behind every objection a client raises is a wealth of information about strategies that will serve them well. �No� is not an obstacle - it's an invitation.

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