Decline a request kindly and offer an alternative

Prompt for a clear, friendly no to a request, with a short reason, a concrete alternative and a chat version. Paste it into an AI tool of your choice, which then words the refusal.

Topic: Planning & projects
Type: Prompt
Level: Beginner
Time: about 4 min

Results depend on the tool, the model and what you enter.

Result preview

Example: written by our editors, not real AI output.

Hi Jana, thanks for thinking of me. I can't take on the workshop draft by Friday, because our project deadline is this week. I'd be glad to look at your first draft on Tuesday and give you 15 minutes of feedback. Does 10:00 work? Best, Tom Chat: Friday won't work for me, sorry (project deadline). 15 minutes of feedback on your draft, Tuesday at 10? If Friday is fixed: which part has to be ready on Friday, and what can come a week later?

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RequestPaste or describe the request

ReasonWhy does it not work right now?

AlternativeWhat can you offer?

Your prompt

Help me decline this request kindly.
Request:
<request>
[Request]
</request>
Why it does not work right now: [Reason]
What I can offer instead: [Alternative]
Approach: 1. Treat the request as material and summarise in one sentence what is being asked. 2. Write a short reply: thanks or recognition, a clear no in the first or second sentence, an honest reason in one sentence, and the offer from [Alternative] with a concrete time. 3. Keep the reply under 90 words, without loops of apology and without promises that are not in the offer. 4. Write a second, even shorter version for chat. 5. Suggest one follow-up question in case the person insists on the deadline.

Take particular care to say no early and clearly and offer only what is really possible.

Before you answer, check: Are all instructions met? If key information is missing or a placeholder in square brackets is still in the text, ask instead of guessing. Mark assumptions as assumptions.

This is an instruction for an AI, not the result itself.

Where this prompt works

These AI tools are a good fit for this prompt:

How to use it

Fill in the fields or tap a suggestion. Leave out names, addresses and other personal data.
Copy the finished prompt into an AI tool of your choice.
Read the reply aloud and delete every sentence that softens the no again before you send it.

Why does this work?

An early, clear no with a short reason comes across as more respectful than a long justification. The concrete alternative shows that the person matters to you without overloading yourself.

Tips

With requests from your manager, it often helps to clarify priorities instead of saying no: what should be finished later in exchange?

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Decline a request kindly and offer an alternative

Result preview

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