CBN Concession Strategies & Tactics 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which principle explains why negotiators should avoid making the first concession in a high-stakes deal?
- Whoever concedes first signals that their position has more flexibility (Correct answer)
- The first concession always defines the final agreement point
- Making the first concession demonstrates good faith and speeds closure
- First concessions are legally binding in most jurisdictions
Correct answer: Whoever concedes first signals that their position has more flexibility
Making the first concession can signal that your opening position was inflated or that you are more motivated to close, shifting power to the other side.
Question 2: A negotiator grants a concession and immediately states, 'This is very difficult for me to agree to.' What technique is being used?
- Reluctant concession — making the concession feel costly to extract more value (Correct answer)
- False close — pretending to agree while planning to withdraw
- Good cop tactic — building rapport before a harder ask
- Anchoring — setting a reference point for future negotiation
Correct answer: Reluctant concession — making the concession feel costly to extract more value
Expressing reluctance when conceding signals that you are near your limit and increases the perceived value of the concession to the other party.
Question 3: In concession strategy, what does the term 'exploding offer' refer to?
- An offer with a short expiration deadline designed to pressure quick acceptance (Correct answer)
- An offer that automatically increases in value over time
- A large opening concession intended to accelerate agreement
- An offer that becomes void if any counteroffer is made
Correct answer: An offer with a short expiration deadline designed to pressure quick acceptance
An exploding offer imposes a time limit to force a decision before the other party can fully evaluate alternatives or consult advisors.
Question 4: When a negotiator packages multiple small concessions together and presents them at once, this is called:
- A concession bundle (Correct answer)
- Log-rolling
- A salami tactic
- Anchoring
Correct answer: A concession bundle
Bundling concessions together can make a single large move appear more generous and may prompt a reciprocal package offer from the other side.
Question 5: The 'salami tactic' in concession negotiation involves:
- Requesting small concessions one at a time to accumulate significant gains (Correct answer)
- Making one large concession to signal good faith
- Slicing the deal into separate contracts to obscure total cost
- Alternating between soft and hard positions to confuse the counterpart
Correct answer: Requesting small concessions one at a time to accumulate significant gains
The salami tactic extracts concessions slice by slice so that each individual request seems minor, but the cumulative result is substantial.
Question 6: A negotiator receives a concession and feels obligated to give something back. This is driven by the principle of:
- Reciprocity (Correct answer)
- Anchoring
- Commitment and consistency
- Social proof
Correct answer: Reciprocity
The reciprocity principle creates a psychological obligation to return favors, which skilled negotiators exploit by making strategic first concessions.
Question 7: What is the best response when a counterpart uses the 'good cop/bad cop' tactic to pressure concessions?
- Name the tactic explicitly to neutralize its psychological effect (Correct answer)
- Concede quickly to the good cop to maintain the relationship
- Walk away immediately to signal you will not be manipulated
- Match the tactic by introducing your own good cop/bad cop pair
Correct answer: Name the tactic explicitly to neutralize its psychological effect
Calling out the good cop/bad cop tactic removes its power by making both parties aware that a scripted strategy is being employed rather than genuine positions.
CBN Concession Strategies & Tactics 5
Which principle explains why negotiators should avoid making the first concession in a high-stakes deal?