Harvard and MIT negotiation experts: How to say 'no' without making things awkward—'it's an underrated superpower'

Cnbc · May 22, 2026 · 810 words · By John Richardson; Contributor; Attia Qureshi

Interpersonal Communication Professional Negotiation

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What to know about Interpersonal Communication

We want to be polite, even if we think a proposal is unattractive.

Claims checked 7

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center50%

Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

We want to be polite, even if we think a proposal is unattractive.

Why it matters

A standard way to be respectful is to help someone learn why you aren't interested.

Common ground

The problem is that when you say the reason you're turning them down, you give the other person information that they can use to make another appeal.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Interpersonal Communication story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Copyright © 2026 by John Richardson and Attia Qureshi. Published with the permission of Simon & Schuster?
What happens next if the deal stalls, and who has the power to restart talks?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/22/harvard-and-mit-negotiation-experts-how-to-say-n…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

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CORROBORATED

Web results confirm the book is published by Simon & Schuster (or its imprints Simon Element/Acumen) and specifically mention a May 2026 publication date, supporting the 2026 copyright claim.

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web search NEUTRAL — Find out more about Never Settle by Attia Qureshi, John Richardson at Simon & Schuster. Read book reviews & excerpts, watch author videos & more.
https://www.simonandschuster.net/books/Never-Settle/Attia-Qu…

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web search NEUTRAL — Never Settle teaches you how to negotiate and persuade in any situation. Endorsed by Chris Voss, Daniel Pink & Robert Cialdini. Published May 2026 by Simon & Schuster.
https://www.neversettlenegotiate.com/book

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web search NEUTRAL — In Never Settle, renowned negotiation experts Attia Qureshi and John Richardson move beyond the basic theory of persuasion to help you drill these invaluable skills to get more in every aspect of your…
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Settle-Persuasion-Negotiation-S…

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Claim 2: “He is co-author of "Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want."”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm John Richardson as a co-author of 'Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want'.

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web search NEUTRAL — Never Settle. Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want.In Never Settle, renowned negotiation experts Attia Qureshi and John Richardson move beyond the basic theory of persuasion to help …
https://www.simonandschuster.net/books/Never-Settle/Attia-Qu…

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web search NEUTRAL — Qureshi co-authored Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want with John Richardson, who teaches negotiation at MIT Sloan, and previously at Harvard Law. The book releases Ma…
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/most-negotiations-f…

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Claim 3: “Attia Qureshi is an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan and former MIT faculty member who has conducted conflict-zone negotiation work on behalf of the U.S. State Department.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources confirm Attia Qureshi's roles as an adjunct at the University of Michigan, former MIT faculty, and her work for the U.S. State Department in conflict zones.

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web search NEUTRAL — Attia Qureshi teaches negotiation at MIT Sloan and University of Michigan. She wrote Never Settle (Simon & Schuster) and has mediated conflict for the U.S. State Department.
https://www.attiaqureshi.com/about

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web search NEUTRAL — Attia Qureshi is a lecturer in negotiations at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and in communications at the Ross School of Business.
https://fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/attia-qureshi

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web search NEUTRAL — Attia Qureshi. Negotiation Expert.She is an adjunct at the Ford School of Public Policy and previously at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and Ross School of Business. She has also worked on behalf of…
https://bigthink.com/people/attia-qureshi/

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Claim 4: “This is an adapted excerpt from the book "Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want" by John Richardson and Attia Qureshi.”

CORROBORATED

A Big Think article explicitly states it is adapted from the book 'Never Settle' by Attia Qureshi and John Richardson, and other sources confirm the book's existence and authorship.

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web search NEUTRAL — Adapted from Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want by Attia Qureshi and John Richardson. Published by Simon Element.
https://bigthink.com/business/never-settle/

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web search NEUTRAL — In this webinar, negotiation experts Attia Qureshi and John Richardson will share insights from their new book, Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want.
https://hls.harvard.edu/events/pon-live-book-talk-never-sett…

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Claim 5: “John Richardson teaches negotiation at MIT's Sloan School of Management.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm that John Richardson teaches negotiation at MIT's Sloan School of Management.

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web search NEUTRAL — The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1861 to advance "useful knowledge", the university has played a …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Tec…

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web search NEUTRAL — Learn negotiation and persuasion skills from Attia Qureshi and John Richardson — MIT Sloan & UMich faculty, Simon & Schuster authors, and keynote speaker.
https://www.neversettlenegotiate.com/

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web search NEUTRAL — John Richardson teaches negotiation MIT’s Sloan School of Management, and previously at Harvard Law, and was an associate at the Harvard Negotiation Project.
https://www.simonandschuster.net/books/Never-Settle/Attia-Qu…

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Claim 6: “He was previously at Harvard Law and was an associate at the Harvard Negotiation Project.”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources (Fast Company and the official book site) confirm his previous affiliation with Harvard Law and the Harvard Negotiation Project.

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web search NEUTRAL — Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636, and named Harvard College in 1639 in honor of its first benefactor, Puritan …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University

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web search NEUTRAL — John Richardson teaches negotiation at MIT's Sloan School of Management, and previously at Harvard Law, and was an associate at the Harvard Negotiation Project.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91532971/how-to-say-no-without-b…

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Claim 7: “She is co-author of "Never Settle: Persuasion and Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want."”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Attia Qureshi as a co-author of the book 'Never Settle'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Persuasion & Negotiation Skills to Get What You Want. FormatIn Never Settle , renowned negotiation experts Attia Qureshi and John Richardson move beyond the basic theory of persuasion to help you lear…
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/464475/never-settle-by-qures…

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web search NEUTRAL — negotiation skills; persuasion strategies; workplace success; Harvard experts; Attia Qureshi.If you want to apply negotiation skills and see improvement, this book is for you."—Chris Voss, author of t…
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Settle-Persuasion-Negotiation-S…

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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.