Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Label what the other side feels, ask calibrated questions, and never split the difference.

Three takeaways for AI PMs

• Label the fear, then audit the accusations: When you bring an eval result or a scope cut, the room already has a feeling about it.
• Ask how, not whether: Calibrated questions make the stakeholder co-author the plan instead of judging it.
• Give them the no

Do this Monday

• Before your next roadmap trade-off call, write a one-line label for each stakeholder's likely fear and open the meeting by saying them.
• In your next vendor or model-provider call, replace every yes-or-no question with a how or what question and write the answers down.
• Before the next eval review, draft a three-item accusation audit and read it out in the first minute.