When a prospect gives a nasty or absurd objection (e.g., "I'm in a meeting"), don't be defensive. Counter with a ridiculously hilarious response that breaks the tension, calls out the absurdity, and reveals the human behind the phone.

Veiled threats or polite requests convey a message without making it "official" common knowledge. This preserves the existing social relationship (e.g., friends, colleagues) by providing plausible deniability, even when the underlying meaning is clear to both parties.

The key to building deep connection isn't getting someone to say 'you're right,' but 'that's right.' The latter confirms they feel fully seen and heard, creating a neurobiological connection essential for trust, a technique applicable from hostage situations to management.

In high-stakes discussions, instinctually attacking a point leads to a zero-sum game. Grammarly's co-founder starts his responses with a genuine "Yes" (not "Yes, but…"). This tactic is primarily for his own benefit, mentally priming him to find common ground first, which then shifts the conversation's dynamic toward a productive outcome.

Even top performers struggle with the discipline for repetitive sales tasks. The problem isn't the difficulty of the work, but the absence of a clear, compelling reason to do it. Discipline requires sacrificing present ease for a future goal; if that goal is fuzzy or already achieved, motivation collapses.

Instead of fighting abstract excuses, give them a concrete identity by naming them (e.g., 'Bob'). This act of personification makes the excuse an external entity that you can directly confront, challenge, and tell to go away, diminishing its power over you.

Intuition is often overridden in professional settings because it's intangible. A bad decision backed by a rational explanation is often more acceptable than a good one based on a "gut feeling," which can feel professionally risky.

The well-intentioned question "How can I help?" puts the burden on the receiver to delegate. A far more valuable trait is proactively identifying needs and simply taking action—a "just do" mentality. This demonstrates a deeper understanding of team goals and removes cognitive load from leaders.

When approaching someone, anticipate their mental checklist of objections and neutralize them upfront. Mentalist Oz Perlman did this by establishing a time limit ("I only have a minute"), building credibility ("the owner brought me in"), and removing the fear of a transaction, all within seconds.