Mastering Highstakes Negotiations

You are currently employed in a dual role in Marketing and Sales, working 30 hours a week. Despite taking on more tasks and responsibilities, your compensation has not been adjusted to reflect this increased workload. You are seeking a 30% salary increase, which could be in the form of direct monetary compensation or additional benefits. 1. Establishing Rapport: Using Tactical Empathy Objective: Build a connection with your manager to create a conducive atmosphere for negotiation. Active Listening: Show genuine interest in your manager’s perspective. Use phrases like, "It seems like you’ve been managing a lot of changes recently." Empathize with Their Situation: Understand and acknowledge the pressures they might be facing. "I understand that balancing budgets and team needs can be challenging." Find Common Ground: Highlight mutual goals. "We both want to see the company succeed and maintain a motivated team." 2. Discovering the Client's True Needs Objective: Uncover what your manager values most to tailor your negotiation strategy. Ask Open-Ended Questions: "What are the main priorities for our department over the next quarter?" Identify Pain Points: "What are the biggest challenges you’re facing with our current workload distribution?" Explore Motivations: "What do you think is the most important factor for keeping our team productive and engaged?" 3. The Accusation Audit Objective: Address potential fears and negative assumptions your manager might have about your salary increase request. List Potential Concerns: "You might think that I am asking for too much." "It might seem like I am not considering the company’s financial situation." "You could be worried about setting a precedent for others." Address Them Proactively: "I know a 30% increase sounds significant, and I understand our budget constraints. My goal is to find a fair way to align my compensation with the increased responsibilities." "I’ve considered the company’s financial health, and I’m open to discussing non-monetary benefits as well." 4. The Power of 'No' Objective: Encourage the manager to say 'no' to gain clarity on their position and uncover underlying issues. Encourage a 'No': "Would it be unreasonable to consider an adjustment given my expanded role?" Use 'No' to Redirect: "Is it out of the question to explore how we can adjust my compensation package to reflect my additional responsibilities?" 5. Mirroring and Labeling Objective: Use these techniques to gather more information and guide the conversation. Mirroring: Repeat the last few words of what your manager says to encourage them to elaborate. Manager: "We’re facing a tight budget this quarter." You: "A tight budget this quarter?" Labeling: Identify and verbalize the emotions or concerns you perceive. "It sounds like you’re worried about budget constraints impacting our ability to adjust salaries." "It seems like you’re concerned about how this request might affect team dynamics." 6. The 'Black Swan' Theory Objective: Identify unknown unknowns that could change the negotiation dynamics. Probe for Hidden Information: "Is there anything else that might be influencing our budget or compensation discussions that I should be aware of?" Look for Anomalies: Pay attention to any unexpected reactions or information. "You mentioned a new project earlier—how might that impact our department’s budget?" 7. Dealing with Difficult Tactics Objective: Respond effectively if the manager uses hardball tactics or tries to stonewall. Stay Calm and Collected: "I understand this is a challenging discussion. I believe we can find a solution that works for both of us." Use Tactical Empathy: "It sounds like this is a tough position for you as well. Let’s see how we can make this work given our constraints." Reframe the Discussion: "Rather than seeing this as a cost, can we discuss how investing in my role could drive more value for the company?" Mock Dialogue You: "Thank you for meeting with me today. I wanted to discuss my current role and compensation. I’ve noticed my responsibilities have significantly increased over the past few months, and I’m seeking a 30% salary increase to reflect this. How do you feel about that?" Manager: "We’re facing a tight budget this quarter, and a 30% increase seems quite high." You: "A tight budget this quarter? I understand that balancing our finances is crucial. Given my expanded role in both Marketing and Sales, I believe my current compensation doesn’t reflect the additional value I’m providing. Is it unreasonable to consider an adjustment?" Manager: "Well, it’s just difficult because we have to manage expectations across the team." You: "It sounds like you’re concerned about fairness and maintaining team morale. I want to support our team’s success as well. Could we explore options for non-monetary benefits if a direct salary increase isn’t feasible right now?" Manager: "What kind of benefits are you thinking about?" You: "Flexible working hours, additional vacation days, or professional development opportunities could be valuable. Also, performance-based bonuses could align my compensation with the results I deliver." Manager: "Those might be possible. Let’s discuss what specific arrangements would look like." You: "Great, I appreciate your willingness to explore these options. Our shared goal is to ensure I can continue contributing effectively while feeling fairly compensated. Let’s find a solution that aligns with both our needs." By following these steps and applying Chris Voss's negotiation techniques, you can effectively negotiate a 30% salary increase or additional benefits that reflect your increased responsibilities.