Handle the Answer

If the answer is not immediate, convert it into the next step. For "not yet," ask for milestones. For "maybe," ask for a review date. For "no," ask for one gap to close. Then repeat the agreement in writing so the next meeting has a shared record, not a vague memory.

Most career scripts sound robotic because people memorize them word for word. Your brain shifts to recitation, and charisma disappears. The fix is not abandoning scripts — treat them as frameworks, not transcripts to recite.