Negotiations: Getting more
Asking for a raise or increasing your fees feels riskier than ever.
Corporate layoffs announced daily.
CEOs, CMOs, and other top positions constantly changing.
Yet, corporations holding more cash now than any time in history
Stock market is erratic.
AI is taking and disrupting white-collar jobs.
University degrees no longer guarantee success.
U.S. gov laying off thousands.
Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security threatened.
Tariffs dramatically threaten global trade.
Global relations upended with friends and foes alike.
War in Europe could spread.
The one percent now account for fifty percent of consumer spending.
And recent data shows consumer spend shrinking.
2025 GDP forecast downgraded.
Homelessness on the rise.
Depression on the rise.
Economic uncertainty increases suicide risk.
Unions weak despite recent victories.
All this, and you still want a raise? Well, why not? I’ve always felt –– maybe foolishly –– that sweeping trends didn’t really affect me as an individual. So yes, despite all the negative crap, let’s ask for more.
But the thing is, all this shit going on has a huge effect on how we feel. Confidence is required anytime we have to ask for money. I’ve never been able to ask for anything if I wasn’t feeling confident. And this backdrop of global chaos makes me, and probably you, feel more vulnerable than ever. It’s not a great starting point for asking for a raise.
So, how do I ask?
Start by knowing that your opposite, the person you’re negotiating with, is just as affected by the current chaos as you are. They may have the power of the purse, and you don’t, but they are human and blown by what’s going on, too.
Next, know what it is that they value in you. What do they value in your skills, past performance, and relationship with them? Whatever the special thing is you bring to the relationship –– that’s your leverage.
And knowing that they value you should restore some of your confidence. That always helps me.
Now, enter into a discussion with them about what they need, how they see their next steps, and how you can help. Think of the conversation as research or as a discovery session. Don’t think of it as a negotiation.
Think of it as an exchange of ideas, which could easily be a series of discussions, not a one-off.
Through the discussion(s), look for a plan to emerge from a merging of your knowledge and skills with theirs. Know that the more they see you as a colleague and collaborator, the more genuine these discussions will be. So put your head in collaborator mode, not “more for me” mode.
The goal of this exchange, whether as an employee, freelancer, or vendor, is to find a path forward that is in your and their best interest.
I’ve often described the above as changing the context. I’ve used or tried to use this method most of my life. When I got it right, I gained clients, revenue, and colleagues, no matter what was going on around me.
Once you’ve arrived at a plan to move forward, then, and only then, outline the schedule, budget, and deliverables. This is where you ask for what you need to succeed for them and yourself.
Remember, our corporate employers and clients hold huge cash hoards. Our salaries and fees are generally so small they are almost rounding errors. And, with all this chaos, the people we work with –– our clients and employers –– need us as collaborators more than ever.
