MOVE 11 · INFORMATION GATHERING · PRO
Listen for the Priority Signal
Notice which topics the other side returns to, avoids or emphasises; those patterns show what matters most to them.
What people repeat matters to them; what they avoid usually matters more.
Low riskOffer negotiationVendor negotiationPartnershipPricingGet clarityNegotiate terms
WHY IT WORKS
Stated priorities are often polite fictions. Repetition, sudden detail, avoidance and changes in pace are more reliable indicators of what the other side values, letting you trade cheaply on things they care about and protect what they don't.
WHEN TO USE IT
- Early in a negotiation, while priorities are unclear.
- When stated priorities don't match behaviour.
WHEN NOT TO USE IT
- As a substitute for asking directly when asking is easy.
- To read emotional states you are not equipped to interpret.
SIGNALS IT FITS
- One topic gets three times the airtime of others.
- A topic is changed abruptly when raised.
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ETHICAL BOUNDARY
Observe behaviour, not character. Never claim to diagnose motives or emotions.
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Content version 1 · Drafted by Power Move IQ Editorial · Not yet human-reviewed · Educational decision support, not legal, financial or employment advice.