People Who Are Great At Shutting Down Those They Don't Like Usually Say 3 Brilliant Phrases Directly To Their Face
Inside Creative House | Shutterstock It's impossible to get along with every single person you meet. Typically, it's best to distance yourself and keep any negative opinions close to your chest to keep from exacerbating any drama or bad vibes, especially at work.
But every now and then, a situation arises when you must let someone know you don’t like them or that you won't be engaging in a particularly annoying or problematic conversation. In such cases, it's best to be as tactful as possible. According to lawyer Vince Xu, there are a few tactful ways to professionally say "I hate you."
These three phrases are great for shutting down people you don't like without burning bridges:
1. 'We don’t see eye-to-eye and I’m okay keeping it that way'
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This phrase makes it clear that you aren’t getting along with the other person, but it's phrased in a nice and professional manner. It's direct but not aggressive.
It also gives you the opportunity to say that you don’t have any desire to change the relationship and strive for something better. You’re okay with it just as it is.
Xu provided an interesting “translation” of this phrase: “I’m not here to bond. I’m here to move on.” In other words, you’ve accepted that the relationship is not what you would like it to be, and it never will be. You understand where you stand with that person and you’re fine with that. A brilliant person knows that they don’t have to like or get along with everyone to have a rich, fulfilling life.
2. 'I don’t have the bandwidth to engage further on this'
When you simply have nothing left to say to someone, or only have things that will make the situation worse, it’s best to just walk away. In this case, Xu provided an example that succinctly says you’re done talking. This polite clap back makes it clear that you are moving on, and the other person should too.
Xu translated this phrase as, “I’m choosing peace over pettiness. You should try it sometime.” For a people-pleaser, using a phrase like this can be uncomfortable. Yet protecting your peace is always the most important thing you can do.
3. 'I prefer to keep our interactions brief and professional'
Letting someone know that you’re not interested in a relationship beyond what is professional is smart. It sets clear boundaries for the relationship and makes your expectations obvious. This statement makes it clear that you don’t intend to be rude to this person just because you don’t like them. Instead, you are promising to treat them with the courtesy any person deserves.
As Xu put it, brilliant people use this phrase to say, “You’re not my kind of person, and let’s not pretend.” This is the way to tell someone you hold no ill will towards them, but don’t want to be best friends either. It’s better to acknowledge that than to dance around it.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
