March 26, 2026
Stop Leaving Money on the Table
The player is loading ...
In this Quick Lift, we are pulling out the biggest takeaways from the conversation with Bhavana Smith, founder of Until There Are Nine — and this one is for every woman who has ever worked hard, taken on more, stayed loyal, and still felt underpaid or overlooked.
We talk about why so many women leave money on the table, not because they are not capable, but because they were never taught how to advocate for themselves clearly and confidently. From negotiating a new offer to asking for a raise or promotion, Bhavana shares practical advice on timing, visibility, and how to make a fact-based case for your value.
If you’ve ever assumed your work would speak for itself, this episode is your reminder that sometimes your voice has to speak too.
In this Quick Lift, we cover:
▪ Why hard work alone does not guarantee better pay
▪ How to stop treating compensation like an emotional conversation
▪ Why timing matters more than most people realize
▪ How to build visibility without feeling like you’re bragging
▪ The power of asking better questions — and saying less after the ask
Links
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.020
Welcome to Loud and Lifted Quick Lift, where
00:00:02.020 --> 00:00:04.280
we take a full episode and boil it down to the
00:00:04.280 --> 00:00:06.839
biggest takeaways and action items you can actually
00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:09.519
use. Today, we're talking about one of those
00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:12.259
topics that makes a lot of women instantly uncomfortable,
00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.259
asking for more. More money, more opportunity,
00:00:15.539 --> 00:00:18.079
more recognition, more of what you have actually
00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.899
earned. I sat down with Bobna Smith, founder
00:00:20.899 --> 00:00:23.219
of Until There Are Nine, and this conversation
00:00:23.219 --> 00:00:25.879
was so good because it wasn't just fluffy advice.
00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.760
It was real, practical, and honestly the kind
00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:30.839
of stuff women should be taught way earlier in
00:00:30.839 --> 00:00:33.399
their careers. Bobna shared that for years she
00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:36.299
did what so many of us do. She accepted the offer.
00:00:36.619 --> 00:00:39.039
She didn't negotiate, and she assumed if she
00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:41.320
did the work, she would just keep moving up and
00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.109
things would work out. Then, one recruiter asked
00:00:44.109 --> 00:00:46.409
her a simple question one day, what's your number?
00:00:46.990 --> 00:00:48.909
Instead of throwing out a number, she asked what
00:00:48.909 --> 00:00:51.289
they were offering, got a range that was much
00:00:51.289 --> 00:00:53.109
higher than what she would have asked for, and
00:00:53.109 --> 00:00:56.170
ended up with nearly a 70 % salary increase.
00:00:56.609 --> 00:00:58.929
That moment changed everything and eventually
00:00:58.929 --> 00:01:01.409
led her to the work that she does today, now
00:01:01.409 --> 00:01:04.329
helping women advocate for compensation and promotion.
00:01:04.650 --> 00:01:07.629
Let's get into the key takeaways and action items.
00:01:08.150 --> 00:01:11.329
Takeaway number one. Hard work is not the argument.
00:01:11.609 --> 00:01:14.829
Business value is. A lot of women fall into the
00:01:14.829 --> 00:01:17.390
same trap, taking up more, handling more, fixing
00:01:17.390 --> 00:01:20.069
more, and quietly hoping someone will connect
00:01:20.069 --> 00:01:22.930
the dots and reward them for it. But that is
00:01:22.930 --> 00:01:25.969
not usually how it works. More effort does not
00:01:25.969 --> 00:01:28.870
automatically equal more pay. More responsibility
00:01:28.870 --> 00:01:32.209
does not automatically equal recognition. I mentioned
00:01:32.209 --> 00:01:35.269
the episode, I am totally guilty of this. Early
00:01:35.269 --> 00:01:37.950
on in my career I kept taking on more and more
00:01:37.950 --> 00:01:40.530
and I thought I would just get compensated for
00:01:40.530 --> 00:01:43.370
eventually. I never asked and guess what? I never
00:01:43.370 --> 00:01:45.390
got the pay that went along with the responsibilities
00:01:45.390 --> 00:01:47.859
that I had taken on. And that was one of the
00:01:47.859 --> 00:01:49.980
strongest points in Bobna's conversation. You
00:01:49.980 --> 00:01:53.299
cannot build your case on just being loyal, helpful,
00:01:53.579 --> 00:01:56.019
overextended, or exhausted. You build it on facts,
00:01:56.260 --> 00:01:59.420
on scope, on results, on value, and actually
00:01:59.420 --> 00:02:02.640
asking. If your role has grown, that is not an
00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:04.900
emotional conversation. It's a business conversation.
00:02:05.099 --> 00:02:07.659
The company hired you for one level of responsibility
00:02:07.659 --> 00:02:11.099
and compensation. If this has materially changed,
00:02:11.139 --> 00:02:14.199
your pay or title should be evaluated too. That
00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:16.620
does not make you difficult. it makes you aware.
00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:19.240
Babna also gave us a really useful framework
00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:21.500
for thinking about your impact. People developer,
00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:24.500
business operator, value creator. And ideally,
00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:26.879
at least one of your examples has a dollar sign,
00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:29.599
a percentage or a measurable result tied to it.
00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:33.000
Because I work really hard is super easy to dismiss,
00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:37.250
but I improved retention by 12 % is not. Action
00:02:37.250 --> 00:02:39.969
item here, create a one page value tracker for
00:02:39.969 --> 00:02:42.729
yourself. Start by listing everything that has
00:02:42.729 --> 00:02:45.069
expanded in your role over the last few months.
00:02:45.490 --> 00:02:47.909
Then organize your accomplishments in the people
00:02:47.909 --> 00:02:50.449
developer, business operator, or value creator
00:02:50.449 --> 00:02:53.289
category. Under each one, write down the wins,
00:02:53.810 --> 00:02:55.650
additional responsibility, and outcomes that
00:02:55.650 --> 00:02:58.270
you have driven. Then quantify as much as you
00:02:58.270 --> 00:03:00.990
can. Where did you save time, improve a process,
00:03:01.210 --> 00:03:03.969
grow revenue, support the team, or increase efficiency?
00:03:04.710 --> 00:03:07.750
That becomes the foundation for a stronger, more
00:03:07.750 --> 00:03:10.750
factual compensation and promotion conversation.
00:03:11.229 --> 00:03:14.189
Takeaway number two. Timing is not a detail.
00:03:14.569 --> 00:03:16.949
It's a strategy. This was one of my favorite
00:03:16.949 --> 00:03:19.210
parts of the conversation because I have seen
00:03:19.210 --> 00:03:21.870
this from both sides. Bhavna was very clear.
00:03:22.289 --> 00:03:24.569
Asking for a raise during the performance review
00:03:24.569 --> 00:03:27.599
is too late. Because by then, budgets and promotion
00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.900
decisions were likely made months earlier. Budget
00:03:30.900 --> 00:03:33.639
timing is the one concern. The other is just
00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:35.680
understanding the current business environment.
00:03:36.419 --> 00:03:38.199
I shared a story in the episode about an employee
00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:40.780
asking for a major raise right after a meeting
00:03:40.780 --> 00:03:42.620
where we had just talked about missing budget
00:03:42.620 --> 00:03:45.599
and trying to protect the business. It completely
00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:48.379
hurt her credibility because of her timing. Not
00:03:48.379 --> 00:03:50.139
because she never should have asked, but because
00:03:50.139 --> 00:03:51.900
she was clearly not paying attention to what
00:03:51.900 --> 00:03:54.539
was happening around her. So yes, be confident.
00:03:54.699 --> 00:03:57.180
but also read the room, read the company, read
00:03:57.180 --> 00:04:00.039
the budget cycle, and read the moment. Action
00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:02.620
item here, figure out when your company actually
00:04:02.620 --> 00:04:05.319
makes compensation and promotion decisions. Hint,
00:04:05.379 --> 00:04:08.560
it's probably in the early fall. It's not when
00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:10.419
they announce them and it's not when your performance
00:04:10.419 --> 00:04:12.979
review is. Then work backwards and plan your
00:04:12.979 --> 00:04:16.120
conversation ahead of that window. Takeaway number
00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:18.660
three, visibility matters way more than women
00:04:18.660 --> 00:04:21.500
want it to. Here we are back again to the importance
00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:24.740
of exposure. Bavna said something really important.
00:04:24.899 --> 00:04:27.600
You can't negotiate your value if you can't recognize
00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:29.980
it and articulate it. And then the communication
00:04:29.980 --> 00:04:32.399
has to happen throughout the year, not just once
00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:35.199
a year during performance reviews. She also talked
00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.579
about how women often worry that sharing wins
00:04:37.579 --> 00:04:40.879
feels like bragging. Her reframe was great. Think
00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:43.339
of it as communication and stakeholder management.
00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:46.040
Ask yourself, who needs to know this? That's
00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:48.339
smart. That's strategic. That's not bragging.
00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:50.779
That's making sure the people making decisions
00:04:50.779 --> 00:04:53.399
actually know what you contribute. And exposure
00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:56.279
beyond your direct manager matters too, because
00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:58.860
a lot of promotion and raises and decisions are
00:04:58.860 --> 00:05:00.899
made by people other than just your manager.
00:05:01.379 --> 00:05:03.439
You want your name to come up in the room and
00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:07.160
people to nod and to agree with that. Action
00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:09.699
item here, pick three people outside your direct
00:05:09.699 --> 00:05:11.860
manager who should know more about your work.
00:05:12.420 --> 00:05:14.720
Then think about how you can increase visibility
00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:17.779
naturally, project updates, cross -functional
00:05:17.779 --> 00:05:20.360
collaboration, recap emails, presenting results,
00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:23.519
or simply being more intentional about who is
00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.639
in the loop. Takeaway number four, ask better
00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:28.959
questions, especially when you're taking on a
00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:31.639
new role. Bob and I gave us one of the best lines
00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:34.379
for job offers, never ever give your number,
00:05:34.819 --> 00:05:36.980
if you can avoid it. Ask them for the range.
00:05:37.300 --> 00:05:39.600
Ask how they determined it. Ask what criteria
00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:42.420
places someone at the low, middle, or high end
00:05:42.420 --> 00:05:45.120
of that range. That keeps you from negotiating
00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:48.060
against yourself. She also made the point that
00:05:48.060 --> 00:05:49.980
companies usually have this budgetary range,
00:05:50.100 --> 00:05:51.740
and they're going to start at the lower end.
00:05:51.779 --> 00:05:54.220
And it's not because they're evil cartoon villains,
00:05:54.339 --> 00:05:57.620
but because businesses are business. If you accept
00:05:57.620 --> 00:05:59.959
it immediately, they just save money. That's
00:05:59.959 --> 00:06:03.339
why asking questions matters. Action item, next
00:06:03.339 --> 00:06:05.379
time you're discussing a new role, use these
00:06:05.379 --> 00:06:07.959
questions. What is the range for the role? What
00:06:07.959 --> 00:06:10.040
criteria determines where someone falls in the
00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:12.579
range? What would distinguish someone at the
00:06:12.579 --> 00:06:14.740
top of the range from someone at the bottom?
00:06:15.139 --> 00:06:17.660
And the final takeaway, when you make your ask,
00:06:18.139 --> 00:06:21.839
stop talking. Honestly, this was a mic drop moment,
00:06:22.019 --> 00:06:24.920
great at the end of an episode. Bobna said women
00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:27.779
often make the ask and then immediately start
00:06:27.779 --> 00:06:30.420
softening it. We explain, we qualify, we add
00:06:30.420 --> 00:06:32.980
personal details, we start backpedaling in real
00:06:32.980 --> 00:06:36.220
time. Instead, make the ask, then just stop.
00:06:36.420 --> 00:06:39.180
Let the silence do its job. Yes, the silence
00:06:39.180 --> 00:06:42.000
feels long and it feels uncomfortable. And to
00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:43.639
the person, they're probably just thinking about
00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:45.620
what you just asked. So it feels like a normal
00:06:45.620 --> 00:06:48.899
pause. You do not need to break the silence.
00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:52.040
I know it's hard. action item before your next
00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:54.839
compensation or promotion conversation, write
00:06:54.839 --> 00:06:57.519
out your ask in one clean sentence, and then
00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.060
practice saying it out loud in the car in front
00:07:00.060 --> 00:07:02.759
of a mirror. Just say it multiple times until
00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:04.839
you're comfortable saying what you're asking
00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:08.040
for, giving them the business case and the rationale,
00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:12.439
and then be quiet. Weirdly hard, very powerful.
00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:15.120
So if I were to leave you with the biggest message
00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:17.699
from this quick lift, it is this. You are allowed
00:07:17.699 --> 00:07:20.040
to advocate for yourself. You are allowed to
00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:22.339
ask better questions. You are allowed to understand
00:07:22.339 --> 00:07:25.279
your value in business terms. And you are definitely
00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:28.100
allowed to stop waiting for someone else to magically
00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:31.439
notice because your career is too important to
00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:34.779
leave up to vibes and hope. If you haven't already
00:07:34.779 --> 00:07:37.060
done so, please listen to the full episode from
00:07:37.060 --> 00:07:40.019
Bobna. It is packed with great negotiation information.
00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:42.540
If this message hit, share it with a friend,
00:07:42.819 --> 00:07:45.079
and until next time, stay loud and stay lifted.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.020
Welcome to Loud and Lifted Quick Lift, where
00:00:02.020 --> 00:00:04.280
we take a full episode and boil it down to the
00:00:04.280 --> 00:00:06.839
biggest takeaways and action items you can actually
00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:09.519
use. Today, we're talking about one of those
00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:12.259
topics that makes a lot of women instantly uncomfortable,
00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.259
asking for more. More money, more opportunity,
00:00:15.539 --> 00:00:18.079
more recognition, more of what you have actually
00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.899
earned. I sat down with Bobna Smith, founder
00:00:20.899 --> 00:00:23.219
of Until There Are Nine, and this conversation
00:00:23.219 --> 00:00:25.879
was so good because it wasn't just fluffy advice.
00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.760
It was real, practical, and honestly the kind
00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:30.839
of stuff women should be taught way earlier in
00:00:30.839 --> 00:00:33.399
their careers. Bobna shared that for years she
00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:36.299
did what so many of us do. She accepted the offer.
00:00:36.619 --> 00:00:39.039
She didn't negotiate, and she assumed if she
00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:41.320
did the work, she would just keep moving up and
00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.109
things would work out. Then, one recruiter asked
00:00:44.109 --> 00:00:46.409
her a simple question one day, what's your number?
00:00:46.990 --> 00:00:48.909
Instead of throwing out a number, she asked what
00:00:48.909 --> 00:00:51.289
they were offering, got a range that was much
00:00:51.289 --> 00:00:53.109
higher than what she would have asked for, and
00:00:53.109 --> 00:00:56.170
ended up with nearly a 70 % salary increase.
00:00:56.609 --> 00:00:58.929
That moment changed everything and eventually
00:00:58.929 --> 00:01:01.409
led her to the work that she does today, now
00:01:01.409 --> 00:01:04.329
helping women advocate for compensation and promotion.
00:01:04.650 --> 00:01:07.629
Let's get into the key takeaways and action items.
00:01:08.150 --> 00:01:11.329
Takeaway number one. Hard work is not the argument.
00:01:11.609 --> 00:01:14.829
Business value is. A lot of women fall into the
00:01:14.829 --> 00:01:17.390
same trap, taking up more, handling more, fixing
00:01:17.390 --> 00:01:20.069
more, and quietly hoping someone will connect
00:01:20.069 --> 00:01:22.930
the dots and reward them for it. But that is
00:01:22.930 --> 00:01:25.969
not usually how it works. More effort does not
00:01:25.969 --> 00:01:28.870
automatically equal more pay. More responsibility
00:01:28.870 --> 00:01:32.209
does not automatically equal recognition. I mentioned
00:01:32.209 --> 00:01:35.269
the episode, I am totally guilty of this. Early
00:01:35.269 --> 00:01:37.950
on in my career I kept taking on more and more
00:01:37.950 --> 00:01:40.530
and I thought I would just get compensated for
00:01:40.530 --> 00:01:43.370
eventually. I never asked and guess what? I never
00:01:43.370 --> 00:01:45.390
got the pay that went along with the responsibilities
00:01:45.390 --> 00:01:47.859
that I had taken on. And that was one of the
00:01:47.859 --> 00:01:49.980
strongest points in Bobna's conversation. You
00:01:49.980 --> 00:01:53.299
cannot build your case on just being loyal, helpful,
00:01:53.579 --> 00:01:56.019
overextended, or exhausted. You build it on facts,
00:01:56.260 --> 00:01:59.420
on scope, on results, on value, and actually
00:01:59.420 --> 00:02:02.640
asking. If your role has grown, that is not an
00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:04.900
emotional conversation. It's a business conversation.
00:02:05.099 --> 00:02:07.659
The company hired you for one level of responsibility
00:02:07.659 --> 00:02:11.099
and compensation. If this has materially changed,
00:02:11.139 --> 00:02:14.199
your pay or title should be evaluated too. That
00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:16.620
does not make you difficult. it makes you aware.
00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:19.240
Babna also gave us a really useful framework
00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:21.500
for thinking about your impact. People developer,
00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:24.500
business operator, value creator. And ideally,
00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:26.879
at least one of your examples has a dollar sign,
00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:29.599
a percentage or a measurable result tied to it.
00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:33.000
Because I work really hard is super easy to dismiss,
00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:37.250
but I improved retention by 12 % is not. Action
00:02:37.250 --> 00:02:39.969
item here, create a one page value tracker for
00:02:39.969 --> 00:02:42.729
yourself. Start by listing everything that has
00:02:42.729 --> 00:02:45.069
expanded in your role over the last few months.
00:02:45.490 --> 00:02:47.909
Then organize your accomplishments in the people
00:02:47.909 --> 00:02:50.449
developer, business operator, or value creator
00:02:50.449 --> 00:02:53.289
category. Under each one, write down the wins,
00:02:53.810 --> 00:02:55.650
additional responsibility, and outcomes that
00:02:55.650 --> 00:02:58.270
you have driven. Then quantify as much as you
00:02:58.270 --> 00:03:00.990
can. Where did you save time, improve a process,
00:03:01.210 --> 00:03:03.969
grow revenue, support the team, or increase efficiency?
00:03:04.710 --> 00:03:07.750
That becomes the foundation for a stronger, more
00:03:07.750 --> 00:03:10.750
factual compensation and promotion conversation.
00:03:11.229 --> 00:03:14.189
Takeaway number two. Timing is not a detail.
00:03:14.569 --> 00:03:16.949
It's a strategy. This was one of my favorite
00:03:16.949 --> 00:03:19.210
parts of the conversation because I have seen
00:03:19.210 --> 00:03:21.870
this from both sides. Bhavna was very clear.
00:03:22.289 --> 00:03:24.569
Asking for a raise during the performance review
00:03:24.569 --> 00:03:27.599
is too late. Because by then, budgets and promotion
00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.900
decisions were likely made months earlier. Budget
00:03:30.900 --> 00:03:33.639
timing is the one concern. The other is just
00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:35.680
understanding the current business environment.
00:03:36.419 --> 00:03:38.199
I shared a story in the episode about an employee
00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:40.780
asking for a major raise right after a meeting
00:03:40.780 --> 00:03:42.620
where we had just talked about missing budget
00:03:42.620 --> 00:03:45.599
and trying to protect the business. It completely
00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:48.379
hurt her credibility because of her timing. Not
00:03:48.379 --> 00:03:50.139
because she never should have asked, but because
00:03:50.139 --> 00:03:51.900
she was clearly not paying attention to what
00:03:51.900 --> 00:03:54.539
was happening around her. So yes, be confident.
00:03:54.699 --> 00:03:57.180
but also read the room, read the company, read
00:03:57.180 --> 00:04:00.039
the budget cycle, and read the moment. Action
00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:02.620
item here, figure out when your company actually
00:04:02.620 --> 00:04:05.319
makes compensation and promotion decisions. Hint,
00:04:05.379 --> 00:04:08.560
it's probably in the early fall. It's not when
00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:10.419
they announce them and it's not when your performance
00:04:10.419 --> 00:04:12.979
review is. Then work backwards and plan your
00:04:12.979 --> 00:04:16.120
conversation ahead of that window. Takeaway number
00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:18.660
three, visibility matters way more than women
00:04:18.660 --> 00:04:21.500
want it to. Here we are back again to the importance
00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:24.740
of exposure. Bavna said something really important.
00:04:24.899 --> 00:04:27.600
You can't negotiate your value if you can't recognize
00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:29.980
it and articulate it. And then the communication
00:04:29.980 --> 00:04:32.399
has to happen throughout the year, not just once
00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:35.199
a year during performance reviews. She also talked
00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.579
about how women often worry that sharing wins
00:04:37.579 --> 00:04:40.879
feels like bragging. Her reframe was great. Think
00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:43.339
of it as communication and stakeholder management.
00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:46.040
Ask yourself, who needs to know this? That's
00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:48.339
smart. That's strategic. That's not bragging.
00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:50.779
That's making sure the people making decisions
00:04:50.779 --> 00:04:53.399
actually know what you contribute. And exposure
00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:56.279
beyond your direct manager matters too, because
00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:58.860
a lot of promotion and raises and decisions are
00:04:58.860 --> 00:05:00.899
made by people other than just your manager.
00:05:01.379 --> 00:05:03.439
You want your name to come up in the room and
00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:07.160
people to nod and to agree with that. Action
00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:09.699
item here, pick three people outside your direct
00:05:09.699 --> 00:05:11.860
manager who should know more about your work.
00:05:12.420 --> 00:05:14.720
Then think about how you can increase visibility
00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:17.779
naturally, project updates, cross -functional
00:05:17.779 --> 00:05:20.360
collaboration, recap emails, presenting results,
00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:23.519
or simply being more intentional about who is
00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.639
in the loop. Takeaway number four, ask better
00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:28.959
questions, especially when you're taking on a
00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:31.639
new role. Bob and I gave us one of the best lines
00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:34.379
for job offers, never ever give your number,
00:05:34.819 --> 00:05:36.980
if you can avoid it. Ask them for the range.
00:05:37.300 --> 00:05:39.600
Ask how they determined it. Ask what criteria
00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:42.420
places someone at the low, middle, or high end
00:05:42.420 --> 00:05:45.120
of that range. That keeps you from negotiating
00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:48.060
against yourself. She also made the point that
00:05:48.060 --> 00:05:49.980
companies usually have this budgetary range,
00:05:50.100 --> 00:05:51.740
and they're going to start at the lower end.
00:05:51.779 --> 00:05:54.220
And it's not because they're evil cartoon villains,
00:05:54.339 --> 00:05:57.620
but because businesses are business. If you accept
00:05:57.620 --> 00:05:59.959
it immediately, they just save money. That's
00:05:59.959 --> 00:06:03.339
why asking questions matters. Action item, next
00:06:03.339 --> 00:06:05.379
time you're discussing a new role, use these
00:06:05.379 --> 00:06:07.959
questions. What is the range for the role? What
00:06:07.959 --> 00:06:10.040
criteria determines where someone falls in the
00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:12.579
range? What would distinguish someone at the
00:06:12.579 --> 00:06:14.740
top of the range from someone at the bottom?
00:06:15.139 --> 00:06:17.660
And the final takeaway, when you make your ask,
00:06:18.139 --> 00:06:21.839
stop talking. Honestly, this was a mic drop moment,
00:06:22.019 --> 00:06:24.920
great at the end of an episode. Bobna said women
00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:27.779
often make the ask and then immediately start
00:06:27.779 --> 00:06:30.420
softening it. We explain, we qualify, we add
00:06:30.420 --> 00:06:32.980
personal details, we start backpedaling in real
00:06:32.980 --> 00:06:36.220
time. Instead, make the ask, then just stop.
00:06:36.420 --> 00:06:39.180
Let the silence do its job. Yes, the silence
00:06:39.180 --> 00:06:42.000
feels long and it feels uncomfortable. And to
00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:43.639
the person, they're probably just thinking about
00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:45.620
what you just asked. So it feels like a normal
00:06:45.620 --> 00:06:48.899
pause. You do not need to break the silence.
00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:52.040
I know it's hard. action item before your next
00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:54.839
compensation or promotion conversation, write
00:06:54.839 --> 00:06:57.519
out your ask in one clean sentence, and then
00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.060
practice saying it out loud in the car in front
00:07:00.060 --> 00:07:02.759
of a mirror. Just say it multiple times until
00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:04.839
you're comfortable saying what you're asking
00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:08.040
for, giving them the business case and the rationale,
00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:12.439
and then be quiet. Weirdly hard, very powerful.
00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:15.120
So if I were to leave you with the biggest message
00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:17.699
from this quick lift, it is this. You are allowed
00:07:17.699 --> 00:07:20.040
to advocate for yourself. You are allowed to
00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:22.339
ask better questions. You are allowed to understand
00:07:22.339 --> 00:07:25.279
your value in business terms. And you are definitely
00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:28.100
allowed to stop waiting for someone else to magically
00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:31.439
notice because your career is too important to
00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:34.779
leave up to vibes and hope. If you haven't already
00:07:34.779 --> 00:07:37.060
done so, please listen to the full episode from
00:07:37.060 --> 00:07:40.019
Bobna. It is packed with great negotiation information.
00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:42.540
If this message hit, share it with a friend,
00:07:42.819 --> 00:07:45.079
and until next time, stay loud and stay lifted.