Read the Clues

Some people will give you an unequivocal answer straight off. But some people won’t. Maybe they don’t want to seem rude, or perhaps they really want to help but can’t, or maybe they’re still undecided. Then again, you may well not actually have asked in so many words, so they don’t feel they have to give an answer.

That doesn’t mean that they don’t drop clues though. Hints even. And you need to listen for them. Especially if you’re trying to get what you want without actually having to ask. And there are plenty of clues to listen out for. Let me give you a few examples so that you can see what I’m driving at:

• “Hmmm. I wonder whether Ali might help you...” tells you that this person wants to help, and might be prepared to approach Ali on your behalf.

• “I don’t know if I can manage a Thursday...” tells you that if you can change the night, they may be able to help.

• “It’s going to be tricky persuading the finance director...” means that this person is probably on your side but you need to furnish them with convincing figures.

• “I’ve been meaning to do something about shedding a bit of weight myself...” indicates that this person might join you on your diet—which may give you a better chance of success.

After you have the clues you can get on with finding ways to remove the obstacles that might stop you getting what you’re after.