negotiation
Prepare and execute negotiations using tactical empathy, calibrated questions, and the Ackerman method. Use when the user mentions "salary negotiation", "contract terms", "handling objections", "mirroring and labeling", "difficult conversation", "deal terms", "BATNA", "anchoring", "how do I ask for a raise", "get a better deal", or "they wont budge on price". Also trigger when preparing for a vendor negotiation, resolving a pricing dispute, or navigating a high-stakes conversation where both sides need to feel heard. Covers accusation audits, Black Swan discovery, and the "Thats Right" techniq
npx skills add wondelai/skills --skill negotiation --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
What it does
Prepare and execute negotiations using tactical empathy, calibrated questions, and the Ackerman method. Use when the user mentions "salary negotiation", "contract terms", "handling objections", "mirroring and labeling", "difficult conversation", "deal terms", "BATNA", "anchoring", "how do I ask for a raise", "get a better deal", or "they wont budge on price". Also trigger when preparing for a vendor negotiation, resolving a pricing dispute, or navigating a high-stakes conversation where both sides need to feel heard. Covers accusation audits, Black Swan discovery, and the "Thats Right" technique.
How it works
The skill instructs the agent to apply a negotiation framework based on the following components:
- Tactical Empathy: vocalize the counterpart's perspective to build trust and openness.
- Mirroring: repeat last critical words to prompt elaboration and information gathering.
- Labeling: name emotions or perspectives using phrases like "It seems like..." and then pause for response.
- Calibrated Questions: ask open-ended questions starting with How or What to shape the conversation and hand control to the other party without triggering defensiveness.
- Accusation Audit: preemptively list and address potential negative beliefs the counterpart may have about you.
- That’s Right: summarize the counterpart’s position so precisely they respond with "That’s right".
- Ackerman Bargaining: a structured price-offer sequence (65% → 85% → 95% → 100% of target) with precise non-round numbers and a non-monetary bonus at the final offer; never concede without getting something in return.
- Black Swans: seek hidden information that can transform the negotiation, looking for secret constraints, hidden motivations, and unknown context.
- Voice and Delivery: use a Warm default voice, late-night DJ pauses for emphasis, and 4+ seconds of silence after key statements.
When to use it
Use in scenarios triggered by mentions of salary negotiation, contract terms, handling objections, mirroring and labeling, difficult conversations, deal terms, BATNA, anchoring, how do I ask for a raise, get a better deal, or they wont budge on price. Also apply when preparing for a vendor negotiation, resolving a pricing dispute, or navigating high-stakes conversations where both sides need to feel heard.
What it can touch
Tools: claude-code. The skill provides structured negotiation patterns and step-by-step sequences for dialogues, calculations, and strategic offer adjustments.
Caveats
License: MIT. The skill emphasizes persuasion techniques that rely on emotional intelligence and structured bargaining; outcomes depend on real-time interactions and are not guaranteed. The content includes multiple techniques that require careful application to avoid manipulation or mislabeling; use responsibly in professional contexts.
# Negotiation Tactical empathy-based negotiation framework from FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss. Understand the emotional drivers behind decisions and use proven techniques to build rapport, uncover hidden information, and reach better outcomes. ## Core Principle **People want to be understood and feel safe.** The most effective path to "yes" runs through empathy, active listening, and emotional intelligence -- not logic, arguments, or compromise. Treat every negotiation as a discovery process: your assumptions are hypotheses to test, and the other side's needs (respect, security, autonomy) matter more than their stated positions. Never split the difference -- no deal is better than a bad deal. ## Scoring **Goal: 10/10.** Score 1 point per satisfied Quick Diagnostic row (6 rows), plus up to 4 points for execution quality: emotions labeled out loud (+1), "That's right" earned not "You're right" (+1), no "Why?" / no splitting the difference / no chasing "yes" (+1), at least one Black Swan surfaced (+1). Bands: **9-10** = audit delivered, calibrated questions and BATNA prepared, "That's right" achieved, Black Swans hunted; **5-6** = some prep but arguing the position or chasing "yes
- Core Principle
- Scoring
- Framework
- 1. Tactical Empathy
- 2. Mirroring
- 3. Labeling
- 4. Calibrated Questions
- 5. Accusation Audit
- 6. "That's Right"
- 7. Ackerman Bargaining
- 8. Black Swans
- Handling Common Situations
- Counterpart Styles
- Voice and Delivery
What does the negotiation skill do?
Prepare and execute negotiations using tactical empathy, calibrated questions, and the Ackerman method. Use when the user mentions "salary negotiation", "contract terms", "handling objections", "mirroring and labeling", "difficult conversation", "deal terms", "BATNA", "anchoring", "how do I ask for a raise", "get a better deal", or "they wont budge on price". Also trigger when preparing for a vendor negotiation, resolving a pricing dispute, or navigating a high-stakes conversation where both sides need to feel heard. Covers accusation audits, Black Swan discovery, and the "Thats Right" techniq
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add wondelai/skills --skill negotiation --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From wondelai/skills, a repository with 1,835 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.