Calibrated Questions (Chris Voss)

What is Calibrated Questions (Chris Voss)?

Open-ended 'How' and 'What' questions that give the other party the illusion of control while steering the conversation. Developed by Chris Voss during FBI negotiations. The question 'How am I supposed to do that?' is the most powerful word in negotiation — it says no without saying no.

Is there evidence for it?

How do you do Calibrated Questions (Chris Voss)?

1. 1.Replace demands with 'How' questions: instead of 'Lower your price,' ask 'How can I make this work within my budget?'
2. 2.Use 'What' to surface obstacles: 'What's the biggest challenge you see with this?' or 'What happens if we don't reach an agreement?'
3. 3.Avoid 'Why' questions — they sound accusatory and trigger defensiveness
4. 4.Ask 'How am I supposed to do that?' when facing an unreasonable demand — it forces them to solve your problem
5. 5.Stack calibrated questions to create a 'yes' ladder that leads naturally to your desired outcome

How long does it take?

5 minutes to prepare questions before each negotiation.

Is it hard to start?

medium.

This is one entry from the library Shift matches against. It is general information, not advice about you, and nothing on this page came from anyone's conversation.