CCNP Negotiation Strategies & Communication Skills 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which listening technique involves suspending judgment and focusing entirely on understanding the speaker's perspective before formulating a response?
- Selective listening
- Active listening (Correct answer)
- Passive listening
- Evaluative listening
Correct answer: Active listening
Active listening requires full attention to the speaker's words, tone, and meaning before the listener responds.
Question 2: In distributive negotiation, which tactic involves making a very large initial demand to leave room for concessions?
- Logrolling
- High-ball / Low-ball opening (Correct answer)
- BATNA activation
- Framing effect
Correct answer: High-ball / Low-ball opening
A high-ball or low-ball opening creates negotiating room and can psychologically anchor the counterpart.
Question 3: A negotiator says, 'I'd love to agree, but my VP won't approve anything above $500K.' This is an example of which tactic?
- Good cop / Bad cop
- Higher authority tactic (Correct answer)
- False deadline
- Nibbling
Correct answer: Higher authority tactic
The higher authority tactic uses an absent decision-maker as a buffer, limiting apparent concession authority.
Question 4: What is 'logrolling' in multi-issue contract negotiations?
- Delaying agreement until the other side concedes on price
- Trading concessions on different issues based on each party's relative priorities (Correct answer)
- Simultaneously negotiating with multiple competitors
- Rolling over existing contract terms without renegotiation
Correct answer: Trading concessions on different issues based on each party's relative priorities
Logrolling creates value by having each party concede on issues they value less in exchange for gains on issues they value more.
Question 5: Which nonverbal cue most reliably signals genuine agreement versus polite compliance during a negotiation?
- Head nodding
- Congruence between facial expression, body language, and verbal statements (Correct answer)
- Leaning forward in the chair
- Maintaining eye contact
Correct answer: Congruence between facial expression, body language, and verbal statements
True agreement typically shows as alignment across multiple nonverbal channels, while polite compliance often shows micro-inconsistencies.
Question 6: What does it mean to 'reframe' a negotiation issue?
- To formally document the issue in the contract header
- To present the same issue from a different angle to change perceptions and open new solutions (Correct answer)
- To withdraw a previously offered concession
- To escalate an issue to a higher management level
Correct answer: To present the same issue from a different angle to change perceptions and open new solutions
Reframing shifts how a problem is perceived, often unlocking solutions that seemed impossible under the original framing.
Question 7: In the context of contract negotiation communication, what is 'strategic silence'?
- Refusing to disclose contract terms to third parties
- Deliberately pausing after making a proposal to prompt the other party to fill the silence (Correct answer)
- Keeping negotiation sessions off the record
- Avoiding written communication to prevent paper trails
Correct answer: Deliberately pausing after making a proposal to prompt the other party to fill the silence
Strategic silence creates discomfort that often causes the counterpart to speak, make concessions, or reveal information.
CCNP Negotiation Strategies & Communication Skills 3
Which listening technique involves suspending judgment and focusing entirely on understanding the speaker's perspective before formulating a response?