I just finished up a Negotiation Strategy Session with a coaching client who was in the midst of changing jobs. She was making $150,000 per year plus a bonus. Her total compensation was $184,000 and did not include any stock options.

She received their offer of $185,000 base and 40,000 in Restricted Stock.

She was underwhelmed.

Not only did she not see this as a pay increase, but they also gave her a title that was a step backward from where she had been. She currently had Senior in front of her role.

She thought about walking away. She felt a bit insulted.

I heard her and understood why she felt that way.

I also knew that she had other options once she got past her initial reaction than just saying See Ya!

I reminded her that this was the type of role and type of company that she had been dreaming of working for when she began her search. I asked her why that was. She had a list!

She loved the industry they were in because it was something she was passionate about in her personal life.

She loved the fact that they were a scaling start-up with lots of room for career and financial growth.

She loved all the people she had interacted with during the interview process and the cultural vibe she felt.

Plus, the Glassdoor reviews further confirmed what she was feeling.

Upon this reflection, picking up her toys and going home did not feel like her best next move. 

What To Do When You Really Want Something

Going after what we really want is vulnerable. What if we don’t get it? What does that mean about me? What does that mean about my dreams? Recognizing that something really matters is the first step to being able to get past the scary bits and start taking action.

We broke down what it was she really would have liked to see in the offer.

We gathered data from the interwebs that showed she was not out of line in what she wanted to ask for: a bump in pay and a title change.

Once she was clear on what she wanted to ask for and had gathered the data to support her ask it was time to move to the often overlooked but most important part of a negotiation…

Getting your mind AND body onboard as well.

It was time to get her in the space of feeling 100% worthy with nothing to prove!

First, we focused on her thoughts. What thoughts was she having about going back and asking for more money and a title change? How could she change the thoughts that were draining her energy into ones that felt more powerful?

Out of that, we created her Personal Power Mantra, something she would say aloud every time she started to feel scared.

Then we focused on the physical energy. How was she going to physically prepare for the conversation in ways that left her feeling energized and ready for whatever occurred.

We talked about self-care, what she would wear, and how her time ahead of the conversation would unfold.

We did a few power positioning moves so she could feel how they shifted the energy in her body.

And the result…drum roll please…

She increased her base salary to $195,000 and received a sign-on bonus of $15,000.

She retained the 40,000 stock options.

The one area the company did not want to move on was the title. She asked for clarification on why and it all made sense. She then negotiated a strategy (which we had discussed anticipating this might occur) where she and her boss would sit down soon after she was hired and create a roadmap that would lead her to the promotion she desired. Oh yeah, and another salary increase. All in 6 months.

Yep! She signed on the dotted line.

Creating an environment where you can face your fears and go for what you want is a multi-pronged approach. You must know what and why you are asking, understand the precedents out there that support your ask and then get your mind and body aligned.

Then no matter what the outcome, you win!

Ready to Ask for more? Schedule a Negotiation Strategy Session Today.