Lately, there has been a lot of discussion about how disparity in pay rates is impacting professional women. Attention is being paid to the consequences of pay gaps between men and women. Whether it’s framed as women working for free one day a fortnight or losing hundreds of thousands of dollars over their working lives, it’s obvious that the problem is impacting in very real ways.
I love people-watching. As a trainer, of course, I have ample opportunity to do so. While groups are completing roleplays or activities, it’s my job is to observe their body language patterns and communication habits. Many years of closer observation have brought my attention to a problem which creates ‘glass ceiling moments’ for female negotiators. Here’s what I’ve noticed, when women step into senior roles, body language patterns that previously helped them in negotiation begin to backfire. For example, patterns of smiling frequently often can help a woman be successful in a junior role. When she’s attempting to negotiate as a leader, however, smiling too often will reduce her credibility and be perceived as an anxious habit.
Welcome to 2018. I hope this year will be a successful and vibrant year for you. I’m here to help you make it one! This year’s ‘tips for success’ series will focus on bringing together what I know about Neuro Linguistic Programming and Positive Psychology. Why? Because I’m passionate about these two disciplines. I believe that by honing the ways you think and behave, you can achieve the results you want. And that’s what Neuro Linguistic Programming and Positive Psychology help you to do.
Exploring the idea of win-win negotiation? This video will give you a new perspective on what it involves. Using a simple story format, I will show you how collaborative problem-solving skills can be used to resolve issues in everyday life. This is a fun overview of the win-win approach
Get ready for your next salary review or job interview. In this video, I talk you through the process of researching what you’re worth. Then I explain how to open the salary negotiation, rather than simply saying ‘yes’ to the first offer an employer makes. Find out how to negotiate a great salary package – not just your paycheque – and learn how to sound confident during salary discussions.
In my coaching practice, I’ve helped countless women overcome nerves about negotiating their salaries. Here are my top five tips for negotiating a fair, reasonable and equitable salary the next you’re accepting that job offer.
Benchmark salary and conditions in your industry
It’s obvious you won’t be able to negotiate well if you don’t know what is reasonable in your industry. To ensure that you’ve done your homework and know what’s going to be a fair deal for you check the website of your professional association, speak to recruiters or talk to colleagues who work in other organisations. Ask them about the typical salary range for jobs that are similar to yours.
Make sure you know what you’re worth before going into that interview. Read more
Here’s an example from my own experience. A few years ago, I was outsourcing a writing task through a freelancing portal. The woman I selected presented as a native English speaker, with extensive experience in creating resources around the topic area. She seemed ideal. But when she supplied the first draft, I was seriously concerned. This is the point at which I should have terminated the contract. Instead, though, I did what many women do in tough situations. I tried to be nice. Read more
Wondering how to take a win-win approach to negotiation? You’ll find useful insights in this short video featuring ten quotes about negotiating from the win-win perspective. They neatly capture what win-win negotiation is all about, as well as giving you some clues about how to do it well. Once you’ve finished watching the video, take your learning to a deeper level by listening to my free podcast on handling objections during negotiations.
In my course, Negotiation Skills for Women, we cover a range of techniques women can use to overcome objections in both formal and informal negotiation settings. Here’s a quick rundown on the advice I give to participants in these classes.
Ask exploratory questions
Highly skilled negotiators don’t stop when they hear objections. Instead, they adopt a mindset of exploration. They ask questions to uncover what’s going on for the person who has raised the issue. They do this because they know that handling an objection is always easier when you understand what’s prompting it. Useful questions to ask include “What makes you say that?” or “What are you concerned about here?” Get lots more tips on this in my free podcast, Handling Objections Without Sounding Pushy. Read more
Want to know how to handle objections when you’re negotiating at work? This video is a practical introduction to this sticky topic. Discover how to prevent objections bogging down your discussion. See how to dig beneath an objection to uncover your negotiation counterpart’s key needs and concerns and use discovery questions to move beyond impasse states.
Fortnightly tips and videos to inspire Difference Makers and Future Shapers as their efforts change the world.