Deviation of the Step to the Side When Asking for a Lift With This Simple Statement
When you ask for a raise, it is not uncommon for your request to be rejected with phrases such as “now is not the right time” or “we have no budget.” However, you can work around this rejection with a simple observational statement.
Before you sit down to talk to your manager about a pay rise, there are a lot of things to consider. Of course, even if you go perfectly prepared, there is a good chance your request will get disabled before you get to the smallest detail. Burri Lam of The Atlantic asked former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss on how to deal with a deviant manager, and Voss suggests lubricating the wheels with a simple statement:
… utter the statement, “It looks like there is nothing you can do.” People don’t like feeling powerless, it makes the other side feel powerless. They will want to look for answers. And, of course, for someone higher than you in the hierarchy, the last thing they want to look at as a subordinate is to look powerless. This jeopardizes their identity and credibility. It will be uncomfortable for them to say “yes” to that.
Of course, this is not some magic spell that guarantees you a promotion, but it can help you broaden the discussion a bit. If they bite, you can ask more questions and see what you need to do to get your desired salary. The more information you glean from the conversation, the better. Of course, you can also find out that there really is a reason why a promotion is currently not possible, but at least you will know why instead of thinking that your manager doesn’t appreciate you.
Ask the hostage negotiator: What’s the best way to get a promotion? | Atlantic Ocean