Use the following sentence starters to help you identify Probes that may be useful in your next negotiation situation.

Example Probe starters:

• Why?
• Why not?
• Why do you believe . . .?
• Why do you think we cannot/won't/shouldn't…?
• What do you think we can…?
• Who can help here?
• How could that. . .?
• How can we meet your concerns?
• What is your reasoning behind that?
• What if we. . .?
• What are your expectations?
• Why does that policy exist?
• What do you suggest would be the next steps?

Take Probing to a more strategic level

To ensure you are more collaborative and less confrontational with your questioning, see yourself using probing to:

• Challenge yourself to look at solutions from a different point of view
• Stay in the state of curiosity longer to sort out where others are coming from
• Probe deeper into motivations, perspectives, real interests, experiences
• Bring the unspeakable question to the surface
• Challenge the status quo to move the conversation to the next level
• Create mutually beneficial options
• Build on what is being said and take it one or two steps further
• Engage with people at a deeper level