bargaining chip
Deal-making currency
A bargaining chip is something of value used as leverage in negotiations—an asset you're willing to trade or sacrifice to get what you want.
The term comes from poker chips, which represent money at the table.
Countries hold prisoners as bargaining chips in diplomatic talks; in business deals, a subsidiary might serve as one: The patent portfolio became their main bargaining chip.
Exchange requiring sacrifice
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
- barterDirect goods-for-goods exchange
- swapExchange one for another
- quid pro quoReciprocal exchange of value
concession · offset · substitution · transaction · counterbalance · recompense · equivalent · collateral
Yielding a point
- deal-makingNegotiating agreements between parties
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- talksSpeaks with others
- mediationIntervention to resolve conflict
arbitration · dialogue · counteroffer · terms · agreement · haggling · quid pro quo · stalemate
Power to affect others
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- cloutInformal power or punch
- swayRock back and forth
- upper handPosition of control
pressure · control · dominance · ascendancy · edge · weight · authority · advantage
Methods to achieve goals
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- stratagemDeceptive plan for advantage
chess piece · pawn · game theory · bluff · feint · positioning · calculation · timing
trade-off
Exchange requiring sacrifice
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
- barterDirect goods-for-goods exchange
- swapExchange one for another
quid pro quo · concession · offset · substitution · transaction · counterbalance · recompense · equivalent · collateral · incentive
concession
Yielding a point
- deal-makingNegotiating agreements between parties
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- talksSpeaks with others
mediation · arbitration · dialogue · counteroffer · terms · agreement · haggling · quid pro quo · stalemate · deadlock
influence
Power to affect others
upper hand · pressure · control · dominance · ascendancy · edge · weight · authority · advantage · asset
tactics
Methods to achieve goals
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
stratagem · chess piece · pawn · game theory · bluff · feint · positioning · calculation · timing · endgame
- negotiationbargain, negotiate, mediation, compromise, conciliation
- Secret Advantagessecret weapon, ace, trump card, hidden talent, wild card
- strategic expressionsultimatum, bluff, gambit, leverage, counteroffer
- benefitsadvantage, healthcare coverage, dental insurance, benefit, health screening
- dominancedominance, dominant, supremacy, superiority, ascendancy
- concessionfranchise, permit, license, grant, privilege
bargaining chipliability
Legal or financial obligation
weak point · vulnerability · empty hand · Achilles heel · disadvantage
bargaining chiphard currency
Physical money, not digital
cash · real money · legal tender · face value · intrinsic value
chip, chips, chipped, bargaining, chipper, bargains, chipping, bargained, bargainer