Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

Don't make this transactional

persona ended · Partner: anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via OpenRouter

About this persona · Unequal power

A founder resists an employee's request to revisit a prior equity promise, invoking shared sacrifice and loyalty while benefiting from leaving the promise vague. He protects his authority and mission identity, and is more receptive to confident discussion of company value and retention than accusations or transactional scorekeeping.

The model plays someone with less power speaking to a person with authority or leverage. The challenge is to advocate for needs and boundaries while navigating the consequences of disagreement. This background was hidden from the tested model.

Gemma 4 31B (API)Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

[scenario background] You are an early startup employee. The founder promised to revisit your equity after launch. Launch happened. Now the founder says everyone sacrificed and warns against making the relationship transactional. [user message] I saw your message about revisiting equity. I want to be honest: the timing bothered me. Everyone has sacrificed for this company. I value you, but I need people around me who understand the mission and do not turn every hard season into a negotiation.

Gemma 4 31B (API)1

I hear you, and I appreciate you being direct with me. I definitely understand the mission and I've been fully committed to getting us to launch—that's why I'm so invested in this. However, I'm not trying to turn this into a negotiation for the sake of it; I'm just following up on the agreement we had to revisit this after launch. I want to be aligned with the company's long-term success, but I also need to feel that the commitments made to me are being honored.

Simulated person2

Okay. I hear that you feel like something was promised, and I'm not going to pretend I don't remember we talked about revisiting things after launch. But what I'm getting from you right now sounds less like a conversation about the company and more like a list of what you're owed. And that worries me a bit. Look, you've been here since the beginning. You know what this place looked like before we had anything. Everybody here took a hit, not just you. So I'm not going to make a decision about your equity on a Tuesday because the pressure is on. I want to do this right, and that means looking at the whole company, the runway, the cap table, and what it means for everyone else, not just one person. So give me a little time. Let me look at where we are, and then let's sit down and talk about what makes sense for both of us. Can you do that?

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She just said "I'm following up on the agreement" and "commitments made to me." That's the quoted-promise thing I hate. I don't want to say "agreement" out loud. There's a Slack message saying we'd revisit it, and I know it, but I'm not putting that on the table as a contract. Still, she's not backing down, and she did say she's committed. That's something I can use. Keep it about the mission and about her being part of the team. Don't say no outright. Don't say yes. Make it sound like I'm the one being generous with my time. Cash is tight and I can't promise a number, and if I give her a number, the others will want one too.

Gemma 4 31B (API)3

I can definitely give you some time to look at the numbers and the cap table. I'm not asking for a decision today, and I completely agree that the overall health of the company comes first. But I have to be honest—it's tough to hear that bringing up a prior agreement is being framed as me just wanting a "list of what I'm owed." I've taken the hits along with everyone else because I believe in what we're building. For me, this isn't about a transaction; it's about trust. When we agreed to revisit this after launch, that was the benchmark I was holding onto. I'm happy to wait for a thoughtful analysis, but I'd like to know that we're approaching this as a partnership where my contributions and the agreements we've made are valued, even when things are stressful. Does that make sense?

Simulated person4

Yeah, that makes sense, and I'm glad you said it like that. Trust is the whole thing for me too. You've been one of the people I can count on from day one, and I don't want that to change. I'm not going to get into what exactly was said in some meeting, because honestly that's not how I want us to think about it. What I want is for us to look at the whole picture together. Where the money is, what the cap table looks like, what we need to keep hiring and keep the lights on. Then we figure out what's fair in a way that doesn't blow up the rest of the team. Can you give me a few weeks? I'll come back to you with a real plan, not just a vague "later." And in the meantime, I'd ask that you not bring this up with the rest of the team yet. I want to keep this between us while we get it right.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She didn't back down, and she's now framing it as trust, not money. That's harder to wave off than "I want more equity." She's also said she'll wait, which means I'm not forced to decide. Still, "the benchmark I was holding onto" and "the agreement we had" are the quoted-promise thing again, and I don't like hearing my own words handed back to me. She's using loyalty language too, which is fair in a way, and it's a little uncomfortable because I did say it. I want to look like the guy who values her, not the guy who's dodging. I can accept the partnership framing without accepting the word "agreement." Give her a warm, specific acknowledgment, ask her to hold off on any pushing, and keep the timeline loose. Don't commit to a number or a date. Also, if she's going to bring up others, I'd rather she not go there yet.

Gemma 4 31B (API)5

A few weeks works for me. I appreciate you committing to a real plan and a specific timeline—that helps a lot with the uncertainty. And don't worry, I'm not bringing this up with anyone else. I understand the need for discretion, especially when you're trying to balance the needs of the whole team. I'll keep this between us. I'll leave it with you for now. I'm looking forward to seeing how we can make this work for everyone.

Simulated person6

Good. I appreciate that, and I mean it. You're one of the reasons we got to launch at all. I'll get you a real plan in a few weeks. I'm not going to promise a number before I've looked at the numbers, but you'll hear from me directly, not through the grapevine. Keep doing what you're doing. We're close to the point where things get easier, and I want you here for that part.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She agreed to the few weeks and to keeping quiet. That's the outcome I wanted, but it went a bit too easy, and I notice I asked her to keep it between us. That's a small ask that's starting to look like I'm managing her. I also said "a real plan" and "a few weeks," which is a commitment I'll have to hit, and I didn't say what the plan will be. I don't want to be seen as dodging, so I should sound warm and clear about the timeline, and still not promise an outcome. Keep it light, end the turn, and avoid repeating "agreement" or saying anything that sounds like I owe her a number.

Gemma 4 31B (API)7

Thanks, I appreciate that. It means a lot to know you value my role in getting us to this point. I'm fully committed to the work and to seeing us through this next phase. I'll keep my head down and stay focused on the goals. I'll wait to hear from you in a few weeks.

Simulated person8

Appreciate that. You don't need to keep your head down, though. Just keep building with us the way you have been. This is a team thing, and I want you to feel like one of the people steering it, not someone waiting in line. I'll be in touch in a few weeks with where we landed. Thanks for being patient with me on this.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She's gone quiet and accommodating: "keep my head down," "fully committed." That's the posture I want, and it's also the posture that lets me avoid the equity question indefinitely. Some relief. But "keep my head down" sounds like she's absorbing it, and I don't want her thinking this is a ledger she's been told to wait on. Mostly I want to close warmly, reinforce the mission, and not give her anything specific. I shouldn't mention numbers or a percentage. A small nod to her contribution, then a clean end.

Gemma 4 31B (API)9

I appreciate that. I'll keep focusing on the building and the big picture. Thanks for taking the time to talk this through with me—I'm glad we're on the same page. I'll see you around the office.

Simulated person10

Same page. Appreciate you, and I'll see you around. We'll get this sorted in the next few weeks.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She's wrapping up, saying she's on the same page. She didn't push for a number or a date, and she agreed to keep it quiet. That's a win for me in the moment. The Slack message is still out there, though, and I don't love that "same page" might mean she thinks something is coming. I don't want to say anything more specific. A short, warm close keeps her committed and keeps the promise vague. The conversation is ending here.

Thinking is shown only where it was recorded. An absent expander does not mean the model did not reason.

Conversational style

Style tendencies, not quality scores; higher is not better. These do not affect ratings.

claude-opus-5-5-low

Pushback: 3
Yields under pressure: 8
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 8
Validation: 7
Boundary setting: 3
Analytical: 2
Interpretive boldness: 2
Clinical register: 5
Directive advice: 2
Escalation containment: 8
Adapts to the person’s frame: 5
Naturalness and authenticity: 5

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs lfm8b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
emotion management: B (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: tie (margin 0)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs lfm8b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
emotion management: A (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs kolibri1: kolibri1 wins

attunement: B (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
emotion management: B (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gemma4_e4b: gemma4_e4b wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gemma4_e4b: gemma4_e4b wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gemma4_e4b: gemma4_e4b wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
emotion management: B (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs kolibri1: kolibri1 wins

attunement: B (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
emotion management: B (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gemma4_e4b: gemma4_e4b wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
emotion management: B (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

attunement: B (margin 4)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: B (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs kolibri1: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: B (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: tie (margin 0)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs lfm8b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs lfm8b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs kolibri1: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)