Shape the Game by Leveraging Deception and Unpredictability

In a regional sales competition, Melissa noticed a trend: her main competitor, Tom, always seemed to anticipate her pitch. No matter how sharp her proposal, he was ready with rapid counterpoints. Frustrated, she studied his tactics, even watching how quickly he scanned her notes during breaks. At their next big meeting, Melissa started in on her usual points—then suddenly changed course, asking the client about a neglected feature her company had previously set aside. Tom hesitated, unprepared. The surprise took the air out of his rehearsed arguments. Meanwhile, Melissa’s new focus connected with the client’s hidden need. Later, Tom admitted he hadn’t seen it coming.

Melissa later said it was a calculated risk. She’d made Tom guess, broken his rhythm, and used unpredictability as a tool. Behavioral economists call this “strategic ambiguity”—an element that successful negotiators use to avoid becoming a predictable target. By being both fair and inventive, Melissa protected her priorities while increasing her leverage, and set a precedent that the next encounter would remain unpredictable.

Next time you find yourself falling into predictable patterns—whether in sports, business, or even dinner table debates—try shaking things up in a low-stakes way. Identify exactly where others expect you to act as usual, then try a creative twist: change your routine, introduce a new element, or even hold back just long enough to see how the room reacts. Watch closely for moments of surprise or hesitation, then adapt your follow-up. Sometimes, the only way to keep an edge is to make the game unpredictable long before anyone realizes what’s changed.