• An effective tool to use during the Exchange Stage – and throughout Bargaining – is called the "Probe."
• The Negotiator's Probe is an open-ended question that gets the other side to reveal information, move, explore options and generate creativity.
• Probes should be carefully constructed, succinct and on-point.
• Probing questions include the "who, what, when, why, where and how" questions.
• Probing shows concern for the other side's interests, and has the beneficial side effect of building trust.
• You know a Probe is effective when it isolates real areas of concern.
• When Probing you must be an active listener. Listening carefully to the answers given after a Probe can reveal hidden fears and objections. It is important to be aware of these early in the process.
• Probing builds rapport and strengthens trust.

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

Probing takes place predominantly in the Exchange Stage and in the Bargaining Stage. This chart shows the different uses of the Negotiator's Probe in these stages: