The accusation audit

Say the worst thing they might be thinking about you — out loud, first — to defuse it.

Why it works

Naming the negatives before the other side can weaponize them strips those objections of their charge. Once an accusation has been voiced and acknowledged, it can no longer ambush the conversation, and your candor signals you are not hiding anything — which builds trust fast.

How to do it

1. List every harsh thing the other party could accuse you of or fear about your offer.
2. Open by voicing them: "You probably think I’m only here to lowball you…"
3. Let them disagree or soften it — they often talk you out of your own worst case.

Evidence

The accusation audit is a practitioner tactic consistent with research on "stealing thunder" — preemptively disclosing your own weaknesses increases credibility versus letting the other side raise them. (mechanistic)

The "stealing thunder" effect is studied mainly in persuasion and courtroom contexts; the negotiation framing is an extension.

Common mistake

Doing a half-hearted audit that names only mild concerns while ducking the real one, so the genuine objection stays loaded and undischarged.