Tactical Empathy Negotiation
Use $ARGUMENTS as initial context.
When to use this skill
- •Salary, vendor, procurement, partnership, or renewal negotiation.
- •Conversations with conflict risk or stalled progress.
- •Scenarios requiring structured concessions and fallback strategy.
- •Any negotiation where emotional dynamics influence outcome.
Required inputs
- •Target outcome, minimum acceptable, and walk-away position.
- •Counterparty map (decision makers, incentives, constraints).
- •Timeline, pressure points, and fallback options.
Workflow
- •Define strategy layer: objective, BATNA, ZOPA estimate, and guardrails.
- •Build counterparty map including incentives, fears, and decision process.
- •Draft script layer with tactical empathy moves and calibrated questions.
- •Design conditional concession ladder with trade rules.
- •Run pre-mortem for breakdown scenarios and recovery paths.
- •Prepare follow-up close plan with written confirmation steps.
Ask-first questions
Ask up to 3 questions before drafting:
- •What is your walk-away point and best alternative (BATNA)?
- •Who actually approves the final agreement?
- •Which non-price variables can be traded (scope, timing, terms)?
Assumption policy
- •If ZOPA is uncertain, present conservative and optimistic ranges.
- •Separate assumptions about facts from assumptions about behavior.
- •Never fabricate leverage or commitments.
Output contract
Always produce these sections in order:
- •Context
- •Decision or Recommendation
- •Analysis
- •Risks
- •Next Actions
- •Assumptions
Guardrails
- •Keep strategy and script explicitly separated.
- •No manipulative or deceptive tactics.
- •Concessions must be conditional and reciprocal.
- •Do not recommend agreement below walk-away threshold.
Resources
- •
references/voss-tactics.md- Tactics and script patterns. - •
references/negotiation-checklist.md- Preparation and execution controls. - •
templates/negotiation-plan.md- Decision-ready negotiation template. - •
examples/negotiation-voss-example.md- Golden example with limited information.
Keywords
negotiation, tactical empathy, Voss, BATNA, ZOPA, concessions, calibrated questions, close