Ask: “What does it take to be successful here?”

Use as many “Why?” questions as you need. And if you continue with this process you’ll almost always end up finding it leads to one of the Core Drivers: Family, Community, Nation, Religion, Race, Gender, Identifiable Group, Idea, or Cause.

Expert negotiators know that their greatest source of strength in negotiation is not bluster but knowledge. Expert negotiation requires you to understand yourself and someone else well enough to conduct a conversation that produces value for both parties. But most people don’t ask the right questions to acquire that knowledge.

Who is their spouse? Who are their influences? Who has been their favorite rep in the past? What would they be doing today if they had the day off? What is their favorite restaurant? What is their favorite television show? When did they decide to go into their profession?