Leaderly Quote: Don’t wait for an invitation to negotiate
Don’t wait for an invitation to negotiate.
You’ve heard it before: the squeaky wheel gets the oil. And nowhere is that more true than in business. When someone makes an important ask of us, there’s a natural pressure to appease the other side. When a person has a record of being told “No” several times however, the pressure to say “Yes” only increases. Since most people don’t enjoy rejecting a person repeatedly, you can actually use this historical information to your advantage. You might try saying, “I’ve gotten 3 ‘No’s on project pitches in the last six months. Based on ABC evidence, I really think this one is worth pursuing…”
Too often, people wait for an invitation to negotiate. They may ask for more money at their performance review, a veritable desert of a time, when raises have usually been established. Decide for yourself when your own career capital is at its highest. Then act!
Selena Rezvani
Selena Rezvani is a recognized consultant, speaker and author on women and leadership. A seasoned human capital consultant, Selena uses workplace culture assessments to help corporate clients be more inclusive and welcoming to women. She’s also the author of two leadership books targeted at professional women – Pushback: How Smart Women Ask—and Stand Up—for What They Want (Jossey-Bass, 2012) and The Next Generation of Women Leaders (Praeger, 2009). Selena has been featured in the LA Times, Oprah.com, Todayshow.com, Forbes, and wrote an award-winning column on women for The Washington Post.
Don’t wait for an invitation to negotiate.
You’ve heard it before: the squeaky wheel gets the oil. And nowhere is that more true than in business. When someone makes an important ask of us, there’s a natural pressure to appease the other side. When a person has a record of being told “No” several times however, the pressure to say “Yes” only increases. Since most people don’t enjoy rejecting a person repeatedly, you can actually use this historical information to your advantage. You might try saying, “I’ve gotten 3 ‘No’s on project pitches in the last six months. Based on ABC evidence, I really think this one is worth pursuing…”
Too often, people wait for an invitation to negotiate. They may ask for more money at their performance review, a veritable desert of a time, when raises have usually been established. Decide for yourself when your own career capital is at its highest. Then act!
Selena Rezvani
Selena Rezvani is a recognized consultant, speaker and author on women and leadership. A seasoned human capital consultant, Selena uses workplace culture assessments to help corporate clients be more inclusive and welcoming to women. She’s also the author of two leadership books targeted at professional women – Pushback: How Smart Women Ask—and Stand Up—for What They Want (Jossey-Bass, 2012) and The Next Generation of Women Leaders (Praeger, 2009). Selena has been featured in the LA Times, Oprah.com, Todayshow.com, Forbes, and wrote an award-winning column on women for The Washington Post.
