What is the first play in the Needs Audit Routine?

• A. Reframe
• B. Likes
• C. Vision
• D. Status Quo

Answer: (A)

Reframing is the first play because you want to start by uncovering the real needs behind any position. By reframing, you shift the conversation from arguing about tasks or objections to focusing on what matters to the other person—their goals, constraints, and what a successful outcome would look like. This neutral frame reduces defensiveness and makes it possible to surface underlying motivations, such as efficiency, security, autonomy, or recognition. Once you’ve aligned on that broader frame, you can then move into discovering what they value (likes), describing a future that meets those needs (vision), and examining how the current situation holds them back (status quo). If you began with likes, vision, or status quo, you’d be jumping ahead to preferences or changes without first clarifying the true needs that should guide the conversation.