
173LAW #4: WELCOME THE TRUTH
If you want to minimize defensive reactions in others, we suggest
banning the word should from your vocabulary. You really don’t need
it to influence people or to get your needs met, and using ‘‘shoulds’’
runs the needless risk of pushing others into defensiveness.
If we had been there, we would have suggested to William that
he replace his ‘‘should’’ statement to Ted with this, ‘‘Hey, Ted, I
didn’t see an analysis of how this product will sell in the retirement
market. If I’m going to approve this thing, I’ll need to see data that
covers that market segment. Have you got anything along those
lines?’’
We think this kind of ...