NEW 2026 PAPERBACK IS OUT FEB 24TH

HOW TO SPEAK UP WHEN IT MATTERS

DEFY

THE POWER OF NO
IN A WORLD THAT DEMANDS YES

Dr. Sunita Sah wearing a purple dress, speaking and gesturing with her hand during a conversation.
Book titled "DEFY: How to Speak Up When It Matters" by Dr. Sunita Sah, featuring a white cover with black and gold text, along with illustrations of running figures.
“A powerful book”
— Adam Grant
“A must-read for all”
— Robert Cialdini
“A powerful, transformative read”
— Daniel H. Pink

  • “A powerful book… If you’ve ever compromised your principles to please others, DEFY will give you the will—and skill—to stand up for yourself.”

    —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential

  • “In DEFY, Dr. Sunita Sah brilliantly reframes our understanding of defiance—from an act of mere rebellion to a vital tool for personal growth and social change. This book is a powerful, transformative read for anyone who’s ever felt the tension between doing what’s expected and doing what’s right.”

    —Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Regret

  • “Dr. Sah is leading the charge on the science of compliance and defiance. DEFY changes our understanding about true consent and true dissent, a real yes and a real no. . . . A must-read for all.”

    —Robert B. Cialdini, New York Times bestselling author of Influence

  • “Firmly grounded in the latest science, DEFY will surely become a culture-shifting manifesto for all of us ‘moral mavericks’ who hope to use conscientious resistance to make the world a better place.”

    —Jonah Berger, New York Times bestselling author of Magic Words, The Catalyst, Contagious, and Invisible Influence

  • "Dr. Sah’s DEFY is an important, timely book written by an expert who has studied and lived the central questions in her book: when should you speak up, and how do you empower people at home, work, and play to speak up when staying silent is the easier option?”

    —Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink

  • “We navigate the world by choosing what we will or will not accept but Dr. Sunita Sah is delivering, for the first time, the science behind those choices. What do you do when you’re faced with a big decision? What do you do when you feel pressured to make a particular choice? From your best yes to your truest no, DEFY helps us handle these decisions with integrity, compassion, and candor.”

    —Annie Duke, bestselling author of Quit, How to Decide, and Thinking in Bets

  • “DEFY answers one of the most pressing questions raised by the pandemic, protests, and the presidential election: why do people behave in ways that ignore science, oppose equity, and undercut their own self-interest? . . . It’s an engaging explanation of why defiance is the exception and obedience is the rule in all of our lives while also providing concrete strategies to recognize and transform our responses.”

    —Kerry Ann Rockquemore, founder of the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity

  • “Dr. Sah’s DEFY is the answer we need for all those regret-filled moments when we stay silent and close our eyes. A playbook to understand how and when to take action, DEFY is an essential and transformative read for everyone wanting to live a life true to their values.”

    —Dr. Mona Hanna, author of What the Eyes Don’t See

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Book Cover of 'Defy: How to Speak Up When It Matters' by Dr. Sunita Sah, with endorsements from Adam Grant and Daniel H. Pink, and an illustration of multiple running figures with one figure in darker color.
Book cover titled 'Defy' by Dr. Sunita Sah, with a quote about the power of no and a torn appearance splitting the word.

ABOUT THE BOOK

WHY IS IT SO  HARD TO SPEAK UP EVEN WHEN YOU KNOW SOMETHING’S WRONG?

Imagine living the life you want to lead, not the one you’re willing to accept. Defy offers clear steps to stop people pleasing, start living your truth, and speak up when it matters.

How many times have you wanted to object, disagree, or opt out of something—but ended up swallowing your words, shaking your head, and just going along? Analyzing cases from corporate corruption to sexual abuse to everyday acquiescence at work, the doctor’s office, and in our personal lives, award-winning organizational psychologist Dr. Sunita Sah delves deep into why the pressure to comply and go along to get along is a corrosive and often invisible force in our society.

With revelatory research, she radically transforms our idea of defiance from a misunderstood negative trait into a crucial, positive force for personal and societal change. Taking us through her five stages of defiance, Dr. Sah equips readers with simple tools to make decisions that align with their values. Defy is the essential playbook for how to speak up and act when it matters most.

PRAISE FOR DEFY

  • Portrait of Adam Grant

    “A powerful book… If you’ve ever compromised your principles to please others, DEFY will give you the will—and skill—to stand up for yourself.”

    —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential

  • A middle-aged man with short, gray hair wearing black-rimmed glasses and a black zip-up sweater, looking at the camera.

    “In DEFY, Dr. Sunita Sah brilliantly reframes our understanding of defiance—from an act of mere rebellion to a vital tool for personal growth and social change. This book is a powerful, transformative read for anyone who’s ever felt the tension between doing what’s expected and doing what’s right.”

    —Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Regret

  • Portrait of Robert Cialdini wearing a white shirt and a light-colored blazer, standing in front of a light-colored background.

    “Dr. Sah is leading the charge on the science of compliance and defiance. DEFY changes our understanding about true consent and true dissent, a real yes and a real no. . . . A must-read for all.”

    —Robert B. Cialdini, New York Times bestselling author of Influence

  • Portrait of Jonah Berger with curly brown hair and fair skin, smiling slightly, in a professional setting.

    “Firmly grounded in the latest science, DEFY will surely become a culture-shifting manifesto for all of us ‘moral mavericks’ who hope to use conscientious resistance to make the world a better place.”

    —Jonah Berger, New York Times bestselling author of Magic Words, The Catalyst, Contagious, and Invisible Influence

  • Adam Atler

    "Dr. Sah’s DEFY is an important, timely book written by an expert who has studied and lived the central questions in her book: when should you speak up, and how do you empower people at home, work, and play to speak up when staying silent is the easier option?”

    —Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink

  • Annie Duke

    “We navigate the world by choosing what we will or will not accept but Dr. Sunita Sah is delivering, for the first time, the science behind those choices. What do you do when you’re faced with a big decision? What do you do when you feel pressured to make a particular choice? From your best yes to your truest no, DEFY helps us handle these decisions with integrity, compassion, and candor.”

    —Annie Duke, bestselling author of Quit, How to Decide, and Thinking in Bets

  • Portrait of a woman with curly blonde hair smiling in an indoor setting.

    “DEFY answers one of the most pressing questions raised by the pandemic, protests, and the presidential election: why do people behave in ways that ignore science, oppose equity, and undercut their own self-interest? . . . It’s an engaging explanation of why defiance is the exception and obedience is the rule in all of our lives while also providing concrete strategies to recognize and transform our responses.”

    —Kerry Ann Rockquemore, founder of the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity

  • A smiling female doctor wearing glasses and a white coat with a stethoscope around her neck, standing in front of a textured blue background.

    “Dr. Sah’s DEFY is the answer we need for all those regret-filled moments when we stay silent and close our eyes. A playbook to understand how and when to take action, DEFY is an essential and transformative read for everyone wanting to live a life true to their values.”

    —Dr. Mona Hanna, author of What the Eyes Don’t See