“It’s not really about asking for the raise but knowing and having faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go along,” I responded. “And that might be one of the additional superpowers that women who don’t ask for the raise have, because that’s good karma. It’ll come back. Long-term efficiency solves it.” Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft said in 2014 at a Conference of Women in Computing when asked what advice he had for women seeking a pay raise who are not comfortable asking.

The comment went viral and met with much criticism.

Nadella subsequently apologised and explained that he had received this advice from his mentors and followed it. But this advice, he noted, underestimated exclusion and bias – conscious and conscious. Any advice that advocates passivity in the face of bias is wrong. Microsoft has since gone on to link pay to diversity and progress.

Source: Fast Company
 

Nadella’s mentors had advised him that human resource systems are short term inefficient but long term efficient. However, underlying that efficiency are advocates or mentors in our career. If no one is advocating for you, then its important that you start doing so for yourself.

In a few months time, we will be preparing for conversations with boss, setting goals for the next quarter. Anticipating more work, ie job enlargement, how does one ask boss for raise, if deserved.

Are there magical words that I can say?
Or the magical resume that can open all doors.

“Four seconds, all the time you need to stop counter-productive habits and get.the results you want” by Peter Bregman.

Bregman notes that” it is natural to think the performance review is the perfect opportunity to ask for a raise. But you need to prepare for that conversation a year in advance, zeroing on top priorities and delivering on them.”

I recall my own mistake of working hard without doing the work of finding out what matters to the organisation and delivering on those priorities.

Some things are more important than others. Are we clear on what those are?

Bregman lists a few areas sapping our time. Are you overloaded doing too many things.

Do you spend time:
♤Answering emails that dont matter.
♡Offering opinions that arent necessary.
◇Spending time on issues whose outcomes we cant impact.

Bregman’s formula:

1. At the compensation conversation – ask how you can add value

2. How does your department impact on revenue and what is important to your direct manager and the top leaders?

3. Keep a few of these areas on top of your #to do list#.

4. Share the to do list with your manager make sure you are on the same page.

5. Quantify the impact of the results.

6. If you have a manager who starts asking you to do things outside the top two or three things, have a conversation. (Interestingly I have heard of anecdotal accounts of managers who ask staff to run their personal errands and reward based on these assistance. Some balance is obviously necessary. You have to ask if this is your long term career goal. )

In addition, I have noticed that your manager may have a different scale from you. Do you know their heart beat?

For instance Hofstede observed that managers from collective (group) cultures reward based on trust, loyalty and your effort to build team culture. Those from individualist or achievement culture value individual performance.

Subtly observe what is important to your manager. Do you know his/her heartbeat? What priority keeps their mind up at night?

I am reading “Four seconds, all the time you need to stop counter-productive habits and get.the results you want” by Peter Bregman.

https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-negotiate-salary-37-tips-you-need-to-know