I banned "yes" for 30 days and this is what happened to our close rate.
Most sales reps chase "yes" like it's oxygen.
The problem is that most "yes" responses are lies wrapped in politeness.
Christopher Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator, identified three types of "yes" that exist in every conversation:
1️⃣ Counterfeit yes: "Yeah sure, sounds good" which actually means "please stop talking"
2️⃣ Confirmation yes: "Yes, that's correct" which carries zero commitment or intent
3️⃣ Commitment yes: Rare, genuine, and backed by actual willingness to act
The issue is you cannot tell which one you are getting until the deal dies in your pipeline three months later.
Voss discovered something counterintuitive during hostage negotiations.
Giving someone permission to say "no" makes them feel safe, and when people feel safe they tell you the truth.
The psychology is simple: "Yes" creates fear because it sounds like commitment, whilst "no" creates safety because it signals control and invites honest dialogue.
I had my team transform every yes-oriented question into a no-oriented one for 30 days.
Instead of "Is this a priority for you?" we asked "Have you given up on solving this problem?"
Instead of "Does this make sense?" we asked "Is there anything about this that seems unrealistic?"
Instead of "Do you have budget?" we asked "Is budget something you've completely ruled out?"
The pattern is always the same: make it safe for them to say no.
When they do, they immediately explain why, and that explanation is worth more than ten polite yeses.
One of my AEs had a prospect agreeing to everything.
So he asked: "Is there any reason why this wouldn't work for your team?"
Long pause.
Then the truth: "Actually yes. Our CTO tried something similar last year and it was a disaster. I don't think I can get buy-in."
That objection would have stayed buried until the deal quietly died in month three.
The no-oriented question surfaced it in week one, they worked through it together, and the deal closed six weeks later.
Your prospects are lying to you with "yes" right now because they think that is what you want to hear.
Give them permission to say "no" instead and you will lose fewer deals whilst winning faster.
P.S.
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