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Calibrated Questions (Voss)

Ask with "how" and "what" not "why" — opponent solves your problem.

15 min Advanced

Goal

Use Voss questions to make opponent propose serving solutions.

Steps

  1. 1
    Instead of "why want?" say "how can I do this?"
2 more steps locked

Expected Outcome

Immediate
Opponent thinks vs reacts.

Evidence base

School: FBI Hostage Negotiation

Founders: Chris Voss (2016)

Voss "Never Split the Difference" 2016.

Keywords

Frequently asked questions

How long does "Calibrated Questions (Voss)" take?
This exercise takes about 15 minutes, practiced with another person in a Inner dialogue format.
When will I notice the effect of "Calibrated Questions (Voss)"?
Opponent thinks vs reacts. In the short term: Proposes serving solutions.
Is "Calibrated Questions (Voss)" evidence-based?
Yes — it draws on FBI Hostage Negotiation (Chris Voss (2016)). Voss "Never Split the Difference" 2016.
Is "Calibrated Questions (Voss)" suitable for beginners?
Its difficulty level is: Advanced. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.

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