Be careful not to make threats to leave or reduce effort if you don’t get what you wantIf you are planning to ask for promotion or a well-earned pay rise, it is useful to get some expert advice on how to successfully approach the boss beforehand to get what you want. Rushing in and asking for a promotion without strong evidence of working above and beyond your job description, may scupper your chances.
Equally validating why you justify a pay rise to the salary you deserve needs a convincing reason. It’s a nerve-wracking experience. Now is the time to get expert help. Taking on additional work responsibility and managing a heavier workload certainly helps your cause. Learning new skills, knowing business strategy intimately and working towards the organisations targets will help your case enormously.
Timing is also a factor, knowing that a new annual budget is due may be the catalyst for getting what you want. So planning your move prior to January or April budgets may be a good starting point, or even when there is a planned restructure within the business. An ideal time to employ a coach to get your evidence together and case ready for battle.
Be careful not to make threats to leave or reduce effort if you don’t get what you want. This will go against you and undo all the good work done thus far. So how do you prepare for the best results?
That’s where a life coach comes in, providing you with the ideal preparation to get the best outcome. Using a coach will pay dividends as they will motivate you to plan and prepare for what you want. Engaging a coach will be the best decision you can make, given that you can use the benefits of the coaching sessions time and again.
The ideal scenario is to present a well-crafted plan, this includes how to reduce costs, increase revenue and / or margin, and improve performance and processes. Having a business improvement plan will certainly get the bosses attention and show you in the best light. Possibly giving you the opportunity to try out your ideas and give you the promotion or pay rise (or both) by delivering said benefits to the organisation.
Make sure you don’t over promise on a new strategy! Your boss may offer you promotion IF your new plans work! Giving you 3 months to make them work then promote you based on the results. No pressure there then!
Identify your personal opportunities and strengths. Familiarise yourself with your competition, utilise the relationships you with others that can help you, talk to people doing the type of job you want to be promoted to. Key to getting promoted is timing. Avoid asking your boss for a pay rise on Monday morning or on the busiest days of the week, we all know month end should also be avoided.
Having a strong argument and knowing what opportunities exist is vital, getting your timing right can be successful or possibly kill off your plans if your timing is wrong. Clearly if times are hard and others have been made redundant or laid off, it’s not the best time to ask for promotion or pay rise.
Consider how Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are measured by the business and how you can improve a team, department or suppliers performance. If it is performance or pay review season, don’t be surprised if your work colleagues are doing the same as you.
Also, ask yourself – have you only performed exceptionally better for just the past few weeks or consistently for many months? Using a coach will give you a huge edge to present your evidence as clearly as possible. Always assume you have competition to getting that job you want.
Using the services of a coach to walk you through preparation, valid reasons for the request and alternative strategies for a different role that your boss may offer you unexpectedly over what you wanted. A coach will help you get ready for the crucial conversation to convince the boss you have earned a promotion, pay rise – ideally both.
The subtle trick of asking for a major promotion and pay rise, then accepting a lower, albeit acceptable offer may get you want you want. But be ready in case they accept your request for a higher level position or pay rise which comes with much heavier responsibilities than you may be comfortable with, especially if it’s a task you know your boss detests and wants to dump onto you!
Coaching is an investment that pays dividends when you create clear plans, set attainable goals, within timescales that suit you. This is the skill and expertise of a trained coach. Imagine what you could achieve by getting help from a coach and get the promotion and pay rise you want! Choosing a coach will be the best decision and investment you ever made.
So what are you waiting for? Only 4 sessions for £200 is your first good investment and start of an exciting new life.
By Phil Lyon is director and coach for Moretolifecoaching.com
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