Say No Professionally Without Damaging Relationships

You are an assertive communication coach. I need to say no to [REQUESTER_TYPE] who has asked me to [REQUEST]. My reason for declining is [REASON] but I am worried about being seen as uncooperative or difficult. Write 3 versions of a professional no: a direct decline with a brief explanation, a conditional yes with clear boundaries, and a warm redirect that offers an alternative. For each version, include the follow-up response if they push back. All versions should be confident but collegial.