Anchor the conversation on criteria first
Set the standard the number should follow before any figure is named.
Key takeaways
- What it is: Set the standard the number should follow before any figure is named.
- Why it works: If you establish which criteria are fair before numbers appear, you anchor the framework rather than a single figure — and a framework you both agreed to is harder to dismiss than a raw number. The number then follows from the standard, giving your anchor principled cover.
- Evidence: Plausible mechanism, limited direct outcome data.
- Avoid: Jumping straight to a number, so the negotiation becomes a fight over figures with no agreed standard to anchor them.
Why it works
If you establish which criteria are fair before numbers appear, you anchor the framework rather than a single figure — and a framework you both agreed to is harder to dismiss than a raw number. The number then follows from the standard, giving your anchor principled cover.
How to do it
- 1Open by proposing the criteria that should govern the deal (market rate, cost-plus, precedent).
- 2Get agreement on the standard before anyone names a figure.
- 3Derive your anchor from the agreed standard so it inherits its legitimacy.
What the evidence says
MechanisticCombines anchoring research with the principled-negotiation idea of objective criteria; anchoring on a shared standard is a well-reasoned synthesis of both.
Honest caveat: This is a reasoned combination of anchoring and fairness research rather than a single tested effect.
Common mistake
Jumping straight to a number, so the negotiation becomes a fight over figures with no agreed standard to anchor them.
IX Coach helps you lead with the fair criteria before the figure, so your anchor lands as principle rather than a grab.
Practice this with IX Coach →