Calibrated Questions Planner
by @quochungto
Generate a bank of open-ended strategic questions (how/what questions) for a negotiation, sales conversation, difficult discussion, or conflict situation. Us...
Example 1: Enterprise Software Sales β Uncovering Hidden Budget Constraints
Scenario: An account executive is closing a $120K annual contract. The prospect's main contact (a VP of Operations) has been enthusiastic throughout three months of evaluation. Two days before the expected close, the VP says "we need a bit more time." The executive suspects a budget approval issue but has not confirmed it.
Trigger: "What questions should I ask to find out what's really going on without being pushy?"
Process:
Output: calibrated-questions.md with 6 questions across 3 groups, each with a follow-up label template. The bucket C question ("What would make this impossible to approve right now?") surfaces the budget freeze directly, allowing the executive to offer flexible payment terms rather than losing the deal.
Example 2: Salary Negotiation β Discovering Real Constraints and Decision Structure
Scenario: A candidate is negotiating a job offer. The recruiter has offered $115K. The candidate's target is $130K. The recruiter says "that's the top of the band." The candidate does not know whether this is a firm limit or an opening position, or who has authority to go above the band.
Trigger: "How do I find out if there's any real flexibility without ruining the relationship?"
Process:
Output: calibrated-questions.md with 5 questions. The bucket B question ("What would need to happen for an exception to be considered?") reveals that the hiring manager can approve exceptions with VP sign-off β and the recruiter offers to make that call.
Example 3: Partnership Negotiation β Surfacing Deal-Killing Misalignment Early
Scenario: A startup founder is negotiating a distribution partnership with a large retail chain. After two months of discussion, both sides appear aligned. The founder is about to present final terms and suspects there may be exclusivity requirements from the retailer's side that would conflict with other distribution agreements β but nothing has been said.
Trigger: "Before I present final terms, what questions should I ask to make sure there are no surprises?"
Process:
Output: calibrated-questions.md with 6 questions. The bucket C question surfaces the retailer's exclusivity requirement before final terms are presented, allowing both sides to redesign the agreement structure rather than walking away after a failed close.
[Space for observations made during the conversation] ```
clawhub install bookforge-calibrated-questions-planner