When it comes to compensation and promotion, 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘃𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Underpinning this is fear; the fear of asking for too much, appearing ungrateful and being perceived as the squeaky wheel. This leads to overthinking, putting the discussion off, or being anything but concise and factual when talking to our achievements.

Here are 10 Tips on how to make ‘the ask’ to give you the best possible chance of getting what you want and deserve:

𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻. Don’t be under the illusion that by doing a great job things will work out as you hope. Your leaders don't know what they don't know.

𝟮. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. If you are not owning your value, how can you expect others to?

𝟯. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆. 𝗶.𝗲. 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘁.

𝟰. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. AND invest time in building relationships through the course of the year. NOT just at year-end! Otherwise, it is the meeting they will try to avoid!

𝟱. 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 i.e. budget constraints, promotion too early. “No” is not a decision or outcome, it is a starting point in a discussion.

𝟲. 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲. (Keep to the facts).

𝟳. 𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝘅. What is the worst that can happen? You will get it or not. Either way, you’ll receive information and that is power.

𝟴. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸. Don’t store up your expectations/aspirations to share at year-end. You could have missed valuable guidance and insight.

𝟵. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻-𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹.

𝟭𝟬. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆 - people can sense hesitation and they may then doubt your ask.

What advice would you give a friend making an ask?