Advanced Negotiation Tactics for PMs
Beyond the Basics
Last month, I posted about the fundamentals of negotiation after reading Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss.
Unpopular Opinion
After Product Strategy and AI, Negotiation is the #1 skill that separates the Good from the Great.
Everybody obsesses over salary negotiations, yet most PMs don't even realize that they’re engaged in negotiations 3–8x every day.
👉 Backlog grooming? Negotiation.
👉 Stakeholder scope creep? Negotiation.
👉 Schmoozing with a VP who cornered you in the hallway about your roadmap?
You guessed it → Negotiation.
Mastering it every day = leadership on autopilot.
Quick Recap
In case you missed it:
✅ 'No' is where the Real Negotiation Starts
Most people hate hearing the word 'No' in negotiations, but 'No' often means "More info is needed"
'No' is actually the Beginning, Not the End.
✅ Tactical Empathy Makes Everyone Feel Like They’re A Winner
It isn't about being Nice.
It’s about possessing emotional intelligence to label what stakeholders feel before they even express it → watch as trust levels skyrocket 🚀
✅ Calibrated Questions Are A Game-Changer
“What would you need to make this work?” puts the ball in their court to help you identify solutions collaboratively.
👨🍳 Time To Kick Things Up A Notch
Advanced Strategies for Dealing w/ Execs~
1️⃣ Say Less
Negotiation is about 80% listening, 20% talking.
Most PMs do the exact opposite.
Listen intently for the emotions behind their words + add value.
2️⃣ Calibrated Qs
“What’s the biggest risk here?”
“How does this connect to our priorities?”
Questions like this surface hidden needs to the forefront.
3️⃣ Flip Your Frenemies
Every tough stakeholder has the potential to become an advocate for your Product.
Match your pitch to their goal, not yours.
4️⃣ Master These ‘Voices’
Late-Night FM DJ Voice: Calm, deep and slow. Use it to build Authority + Trustworthiness. Hint 💡 it’s great for delivering bad news.
Playful / Positive Voice: Disarm tension with the voice of an easygoing, good-natured person. Your attitude is light + encouraging. The key here is to relax; Smile as you're talking.
Direct + Assertive Voice: Use it sparingly as it can trigger pushback.
5️⃣ Mirroring + Labeling = Jedi Mind Trick
Repeat their last few words.
“Launching in Q4?”
Then label: “Sounds like you’re concerned about our delivery timeline, relative to value?”
Suddenly they feel heard → they keep talking → you control the tempo.
“We fear what’s different and are drawn to what’s similar.”
— Chris Voss
It’s a fundamental principle of being human.
Mirroring creates similarity. Similarity enhances trust. Trust unlocks deals.
Couldn’t have said it better myself 👏👏👏