Difficult conversations
Boundary conversation
Decline part of a request without declining the person.
Being asked for something you cannot give right now.
The shape
- Context
- Boundary
- Reason
- Alternative
- Confirm
Why that order
The alternative is what separates a boundary from a refusal. It says the limit is about capacity rather than willingness, and it leaves the other person with something.
A worked example
I can support this, but I cannot take it on tonight. I need to finish the current deadline first. I can review it tomorrow morning. Would that work?
Mostly serves Connection, and reaches into Intent and Presence.
A framework tells you what shape the answer takes. It cannot tell you whether shape is what you are short of, and for most people it is not. Which one is yours, and whether a framework is the right instrument at all, is what a Discovery Call is for.
Take the AssessmentOr read the whole glossary first.