Pause after the anchor
Respond to an aggressive anchor with disciplined silence before asking a calibrated question.
The number is on the table. Lena has not accepted the frame. The vendor names a 47 percent increase. What should Lena do first? Pause visibly, let the number sit, then ask how they calculated the increase. Strong. The silence defuses the anchor and the question moves the conversation toward evidence. Immediately say the increase is impossible because Finance capped the budget. Weaker. It may be true, but an instant protest keeps the discussion centered on their number. Counter with a lower number before the vendor explains anything. Weaker. You enter bargaining before understanding whether the anchor is based on…
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