When faced with a request that we can’t, or won’t, support, the initial reaction is to simply say “no.” Sorry, but we can’t help you.

The better, and more generous, approach is to change the question.

If we can’t do exactly what was requested, then what can we do?

It might not be exactly what was requested, but that’s not the point. When we think about the other party as a real person with a problem to solve, we can begin to think creatively about how we can play a role in the solution.

The real world rarely operates in the grocery store model of – here’s what we have, here’s the price, take it or leave it.

Most of what we do is flexible. It’s a conversation.

It doesn’t have to just be about whether we have the answer to a given question, but rather it can be a joint problem solving journey to explore whether we can jointly come to a solution.

-Brandon