Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

The Tough Pressure of Asking For A Raise in Recessions

The Tough Pressure of Asking For A Raise in Recessions

1. Lay the foundation. Have a meeting with your boss. Set it up beforehand as a formal sit down, not a leaning-in-the-doorway-with-a-cup-of-coffee-in-your-hand thing. The informal route makes it easy for him to just say, “Aw, come on, Larry (or Betty), you know how things are” and move along smartly down a different path. Don’t make it sound dire, but an actual time and date on his or her calendar lets the boss know that you mean business, not schmoozing. There is, sometimes, a difference.

2. Toss the grenade while it still has a pin in it. Keeping the protective pin in the grenade means you won’t have to fall on it later when it’s about to explode, which is quite painful and sometimes involves career death. Simply say to Mr. Roover, “Bob, I know this is a very difficult time for me to be raising this, but I just want you to hear me out. As you know, I have all kinds of capabilities that help things run around here, a skill set that’s kind of different than the other guys’. And I feel like there should be some recognition of that at some point. You can tell me when.” By taking timing off the table and selling the matter on its merits, you’re eliminating the “not now” card from his deck. You know it’s not a question of now. But if you succeed, even modestly, it has become a question not of if but of when.

3. Back off and bow nicely. If you’ve done your job well, you have got the boss into the position in which he or she can say, in a dignified manner, “Well, Larry or Betty, you know it’s really impossible right now, but I see your point and I guess if you’ll let me think about it a little bit, we can talk about it sometime in the future.” At this point you may thank you boss and retire from the field of battle. Thus endeth phase one.

4. Follow up. After at least one full month, you may now employ the lean-in-the-doorway strategy to broach the subject again in a light-hearted manner. The more informal touch here is a way of ambushing the boss when he or she least expects it. Like, she’s about to bite down on that nice muffin and here you come with a smile and a self-deprecating “Have you thought it over?” At which point she will say, “No! Go away!” And you may then look very sad, say thanks, and go off to do your job with the usual excellence.

5. Maintain gentle pressure. If you continue this strategy of constant, intermittent pressure, applied while you do continue to be superb at your function, you will get your raise. There are all kinds of tricks managers can pull to get you what you want, you know. They can raise your grade, which creates room at the top of your range. They can slightly alter your title, which involves a change of compensation. If they really, really want to do it, it will be done. Your trick is to do the dance with such finesse that at no time can your manager just blow you off your feet.

What being in a recession means is not that things can’t or won’t happen. It means that everything is harder, that’s all. But you know, nobody said it was going to be easy.





The Tough Pressure of Asking For A Raise in Recessions - To learn more about this author, visit Dr. Fathi El-Nadi's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback

To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

About The Author


Dr. Fathi El-Nadi
(Visit Dr. Fathi's Website) Certified Crosby College TQM Instructor; Management & HR Development Senior Consultant to a number of Egyptian & Arab enterprises across the Middle East. - Rated by The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) as Senior HR Professional due to his significant contributions to prominent Multinationals in the US, The Gulf, and Egypt. - Had held senior Management, HR, and Training positions in SOM, Johnson Wax, General Motors, and Bristol Myers Squibb. - Currently teaching Management, HR, Strategic Management, and OB at a member of prominent private universities in Egypt. - Management & HR Development consultant to USAID, CIDA, DANIDA & IFC on development projects in Egypt. - Professor, Strategic Management & HR Development (The Arab Academy for Science & Technology / AUC) - Consultant & Member, The National Committee for Faculty & Leadership Development Project (FLDP), a 7 year World Bank Funded project to enhance the quality of Higher Education in Egypt. - Consultant to a number of Egyptian State universities on Strategic Planning & Quality Improvement projects.

Dr. Fathi El-Nadi is a Platinum author on EvanCarmichael.com
About The Author

View Author Blog
View Author Blog

View Author Video
View Author Video

Free Downloads


Dr. Fathi El-Nadi's

Complete
List Of
Human-Resources
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get Dr. Fathi El-Nadi's Complete List of Human-Resources Articles For FREE!

More Dr. Fathi El-Nadi
Conceptualizations Of Organizational Environmental Uncertainty
Imposed Stress at the Workplace
Managing Organizational Stars
Job Misfits and Their Damaging Impact
Concerns on Quality Impelementation
Even the US is Losing it Intellectual Capital
Adoption of TQM
Appealing As Part Of Performance Managment
The NonPrice of Quality
HRM and the Quality of Worklife
Free Downloads


 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
John Brennan  
George Ludwig  
Stephanie Robey  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video

Business Opportunities
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"

How to Start An Online Business

Click Here To Learn More
Business Opportunities



Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Business Emotional Intelligence Icon Business Emotional Intelligence
Strategic Alliance Icon Strategic Alliance
5 Step Action Plan Icon 5 Step Action Plan
Basic SEO Guide Icon Basic SEO Guide
Visual Pipeline Icon Visual Pipeline
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Top 50 Social Entrepreneur Blogs of 2009
Top Social Business Blogs
Top Social Entrepreneur Blogs
 
Top 50 SEO Posts of the Year
Top 50 SEO Posts - 2008
Top SEO Posts of the Year
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Epi Amouzou Avetonou, Togo,
Epi Amouzou
Avetonou, Togo
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Adam and Matthew Toren , $200k to $3.4 Mil in 3 Years
Adam and Matthew Toren
$200k to $3.4 Mil in 3 Years
Julie Mitchell, $470k to $1.1 Mil in 2 years
Julie Mitchell
$470k to $1.1 Mil in 2 years
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Donald Trump, Trump Org.
Donald Trump
Trump Org.
Issy Sharp, Four Seasons
Issy Sharp
Four Seasons
Famous Entrepreneurs - Complete List

Entrepreneur Advice
Guy Kawasaki, The Art of the Start
Guy Kawasaki
The Art of the Start
Michael Gerber, The E Myth
Michael Gerber
The E Myth
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     Building Business Relationships - Networking without the Work
By Sally Jacobs

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More popular articles
- Why Are People Rapidly Dropping Traditional MLM Businesses? Part 1 - UNTOLD SECRET REVEALED
- Don't Make This Mistake in Internet Home Based Businesses! ~Omari Taylor
- Top 3 Network Marketing Lead Generation Methods When Marketing On A Budget! ~GUARANTEED SUCCESS
- Do I Need to Have a Millionaire Mindset to Be Successful? Secret Revealed
- Make A Fortune Starting With A Small Budget In Multi Level Marketing Opportunities! ~REVEALED
- The #1 Guaranteed Way To Have A Successful Business! ~MAKE YOUR FORTUNE
- Be Your Own Boss! ~FOR SERIOUS ENTREPRENEURS...SECRETS TO WEALTH
- 3 Simple Steps To Effective Online Marketing Videos! ~CASH MAGNET
- 3 Keys To Success Online!~ EXPOSE SECRET
- How To Make Money Fasts At Home! ~STEPS TO GUARANTEED WEALTH
- Franchise Development
More Information