tactic library
Work

Silent treatment

Withholding a reply until the pressure does the negotiating.

how it sounds

Nothing. For four days. After a direct question.

What they’re really doing

Silence costs them nothing and costs you certainty. It's a bid for you to concede without them arguing.

The reply that answers it

Following up on [question] from [date]. If I don't hear back by [date] I'll proceed with [default] so we stay on track.

tap the text to copy · square brackets = the one fact only you know

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Decode my message — first one free

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