5 Game Theory Moves You Should Implement Immediately
Tactics #2: Five situations. Five games. Five tactics that don't lose.
The overwhelming majority of content on game theory attempts to explain how the whole world works. There is no doubt that this is fascinating, but it is exceptionally difficult to casually implement a life-altering strategy on a Monday morning.
That is why this post centers on five game-theoretical tactics that you can immediately practice in the very next conversation you have with someone, and all of them grant you a substantial advantage.
No “learn this theory first” homework today. You will be surprised how much game theory hides in plain sight.
Contents Include:
Move 1: Stop Negotiating Against Yourself (Attrition Game)
Move 2: Ask What Would Change Their Mind (Screening)
Move 3: Name Constraints (Costly Signaling)
Move 4: Never Speak to Groups (Volunteer’s Dilemma)
Move 5: Shrink Your Asks Until Yes Is Cheap (Incentive Alignment)
Move 1: Stop Negotiating Against Yourself (Attrition Game)
The situation: You proposed an offer, and the person in front of you did not outright reject it. They simply did not respond or said something along the lines of “that’s not going to work.”
This is a case of a war-of-attrition game, one of the more frequent traps in both business and relationships.
It is riddled with hidden power dynamics, which most people never perceive: