Negotiation

73% of employers expect you to negotiate. 55% of professionals don’t. That’s a costly silence. Negotiation isn’t about being difficult. It’s about showing up prepared and knowing your value. Here's how to do it right: 1. Research what’s fair ↳ Know the going rate for your role and level. 2. Know your impact ↳ Have proof of what you’ve led, built, or improved. 3. Define your range ↳ Set your target and your bottom line. 4. Look beyond salary ↳ Include PTO, bonuses, equity, flexibility. 5. Practice out loud ↳ Once is better than never. Confidence shows. Common missteps to avoid: 🚫 Accepting an offer on the spot 🚫 Leading with your lowest number 🚫 Ignoring the full compensation picture Smarter ways to respond: 🗨 “Based on what I bring, let's revisit the package.” 🗨 “What flexibility is there in total compensation?” 🗨 “Thanks. Can I take some time to review this?” Coaching 100s of people into roles they actually love  has taught me: You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate. Your new boss is expecting it. You just have to be ready. 🔖 Save this for when the offer comes in. 📤 Send it to someone who’s due for a raise. Reshare ♻️ to help someone in your network. And give me a follow for more posts like this. P.S. Looking to grow your salary? Each month, I help a select number of people get 40-80% pay bumps and land fulfilling $200K-$500K roles. DM me "Salary" to learn how.

Nonprofits, if I had to build corporate partnerships from scratch today, here’s the real playbook: 1. Stop begging. Start collaborating. Your opening line to a company should never be: “We’re looking for sponsors.” Instead, it should be: “We’re building a movement around [cause]. Want to co-author the story?” Shift your posture from “needing help” to “offering opportunity.” 2. Ditch the gold-silver-bronze garbage. Create partnership experiences that feel custom-built: Fund an innovation lab Co-host a thought leadership series Launch a branded scholarship program Make them the hero of a tangible impact, not a logo on a step-and-repeat. 3. Play offense on LinkedIn If you’re waiting for CSR managers to stumble onto your website, you’ve already lost. Connect with CSR, ESG, HR, and Marketing leads at 50 dream companies. Post 3–4 times a week showing WHY your mission matters to their brand narrative. Share wins with attribution: “Thanks to partners like [Company], we [result].” Visibility builds familiarity. Familiarity builds trust. Trust builds checks. 4. Build a Corporate Advisory Council. Invite 5–10 execs from different companies to join a “founding circle.” No donation required upfront. What you’re asking for: • Their insights • Their network • Their pride of ownership Once they feel bought in, the dollars will follow. 5. Make it ridiculously easy to say yes. No 17-page decks. No committee calls. No 90-day “we’ll get back to you” limbo. Your ask should be crystal clear: “We have a $25,000 project funding gap.” “Here’s what you’ll get in return.” “Here’s how your brand will be celebrated.” Simplicity wins deals. Period. 6. Follow up like a human, not a robot. No “just circling back” emails. No “checking in on my proposal” DMs. Send them micro-wins: “Just wanted to share, we hit 100 youth served this month!” “This story made me think of your team’s values.” Stay top of mind without being top of inbox spam. In 2025, partnerships are won by building narratives, not asking for charity. You’re not selling sponsorships. You’re offering legacy. Act accordingly. Want to learn how we’re helping nonprofits land $25K–$250K partnerships without begging? Comment “Build” or DM me. We’re opening a private training soon.

We were 25 minutes into the call when they asked: Prospect: “So… can we get some ballpark pricing?” Me: “Happy to share. Just curious - are we currently the vendor of choice? Or are we still in the mix with others?” Prospect: “We’re still evaluating about five different vendors.” Me: “Got it. And what are you evaluating us all on?” Prospect: “Mostly features and pricing.” Me: “Appreciate the transparency. Mind if I be blunt for a second?” Prospect: “Go for it.” Me: “We don’t like to win on price. We don’t like to lose on price. We like to win on product.” Me: “If you’re telling me we’re the best solution for your team, then we can figure out how to make the pricing work. But if you’re not there yet, I’d rather not pretend price is the blocker.” Prospect: “Fair. We’re still figuring out what we really need.” Me: “That’s what I figured. And that’s why I hesitate to get deep into pricing. If you’re still defining the problem, every number’s going to feel too high.” It shifted the energy. Too many teams ask for pricing before they even know what they’re buying. They want quotes before clarity. Discounts before direction. Numbers before need. But pricing only makes sense once the value is clear. So here’s what I’ve learned: Make sure you’re the vendor of choice first. Make sure they know what they’re solving and how you solve it. Then have those money conversations. That’s how you avoid racing to the bottom. And win on the thing that matters most... The product.

A PM at Google asked me how I managed 30+ stakeholders. 'More meetings?' Wrong. Here's the RACI framework that cut my meeting load by 60% while increasing influence. 1/ 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙫𝙨 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 Most PMs drown because they invite everyone who's "interested." Instead, split your stakeholders into: - R: People doing the work - A: People accountable for success 2/ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙥 Stop asking for approval from everyone. Create two clear buckets: - C: Must consult before decisions - I: Just keep informed of progress 3/ 𝘿𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 > 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 For "Informed" stakeholders, switch to documented updates. They'll actually retain more than in another recurring meeting. 4/ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙋𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙚 "𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲." Use this in every email. Watch the right people emerge. 5/ 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 Build your approval flows around your R&A stakeholders only. Everyone else gets strategic updates. --- This isn't about excluding people. It's about respecting everyone's time while maintaining momentum. If you found this framework helpful for managing stakeholders: 1. Follow Alex Rechevskiy for more actionable frameworks on product leadership and time management 2. Bookmark and retweet to save these tactics and help other PMs streamline their stakeholder management

When was the last time you had to deliver bad news? Or worse yet, was there a time when you received some bad news and failed to share it? Bad news can bring out odd and awkward behaviors in all of us. As leaders, it's best to address it in as straightforward a manner as possible. Here's my take on it. Communicating bad news can, at times, be a challenge for any leader. However, with careful analysis, planning, and a compassionate approach, most can learn to manage these situations when they arise effectively. When bad news hits, start with preparation and planning. Take the necessary time to fully think through and understand the situation (don't overthink it!), gather all relevant information, and list potential questions you or others may have. Once you're prepared, being expedient and transparent is important when communicating bad news. The higher the level of potential volatility, the more you must provide clear and concise information, avoiding jargon and complicated language. As shared earlier, deliver the news as straightforward as possible. Being transparent builds trust and encourages open and responsive communication in return. No matter who is involved, your manager, team, or organization. Always show empathy throughout the process. Acknowledge the impact of the news and express genuine concern for how it may affect people. Be an active listener, allowing those involved to express their feelings and concerns. Never judge or condemn prior to having all the facts. After delivering the news, provide reassurance and resources to help your people cope. Collaborate with those affected to find solutions and build a path forward. And don't leave people hanging after delivering bad news. Schedule follow-up meetings, touch base with them often, or provide written communication to address any unanswered questions or concerns. Regular updates and ongoing support demonstrate your commitment to their well-being and to rectifying the negative situations the news reveals or creates. Communicating bad news will always be difficult, but when approached with the right mindset and strategy, it can be navigated with grace and compassion. Remember to: 1) prepare and plan, 2) be expedient and transparent, 3) show empathy and offer support, and 4) maintain open lines of communication. As a leader, your role extends beyond delivering bad news—you must own the process that happens after the facts come out. By providing guidance, building trust, and inspiring others to work with you on reconciliation and doing the right things, you can handle any adversity together. This might be the best news concerning bad news that we have. #ceos #leadership #badnews #execution You'll never find bad news when subscribing to my "Quick Byte" of leadership wisdom. Find it here: https://lnkd.in/gXpc_pyu

2 years ago, I was helping close a $385,000 deal. It was a ‘make or break’ deal for quarter-end. But of course:  Procurement was grinding us down on price. THEM: "$385k is INSANE. We only have budget for $200k." We had to bring the focus off price and back to value. Here's what we said next: US: "How familiar are you with the business value we're poised to deliver?" THEM: "I'm familiar. You're going to help us ramp new sellers faster. That's valuable. But not worth $385,000." Dead end? Nope. Then we took it to the next level: US: "Can we walk you through the math we did with your CRO to see if it checks out?" THEM: "Sure." US: "Your AE ramp time is 8 months. At month 9, the avg. rep starts producing $60k in ARR/month after 7 months of ramping up. That sound right?" THEM: "Yep." We were getting closer: US: "Your CRO tells us she's hiring 80 new AEs in the next 12 months." THEM: "Mmhmm." US: "So if you got 80 new AEs up to speed one month faster each: That's 80 * $60k in ARR = $4.8M." THEM: *sitting silent* Then we asked these questions: US (again): "The question then becomes, how believable is it that we can cut a month off your ramp time?" THEM *now the CRO chimes in*: "Very believable. I'm gone deep with them on this." US: "So $4.8M expected return against a $385k spend." Now for the nail in the coffin: US: "Usually when we get price resistance, it's either because: 1) you're not sold on the financial value 2) you do not have the ability to spend the cash. It feels like we covered #1. What's stopping us from here?" They signed 6 hours later. Here are 3 deal-closing lessons from this deal: 1. Get your champion in the negotiation room. Procurement rarely 'gets' the business value. Get your champion in the room when it's time to face off with them. Yes, you won't always be able to. But shoot your shot and at least ask. It will change the tone of the meeting. 2. Price resistance comes from 1 of 3 places: A) Not sold on the value B) Inability to pay C) Just trying to get a better deal. Identify which one you're up against. Then navigate accordingly. For us, it was a combination of 1 & 3. 3. Negotiating is MUCH easier with rock-solid selling skills. We had a few things going for us: - a committed champion - significant business pain  - quantifiable business value Imagine negotiating without those? Would have been a nightmare. That’s all for today. If this either: A) Taught you something B) Inspired you Drop a 💯in the comments. P.S. Learn 6 (WARNING: advanced) SaaS sales techniques I used to earn my first $1M W2: https://lnkd.in/g8mixtVc

One of the toughest tests of your leadership isn't how you handle success. It's how you navigate disagreement. I noticed this in the SEAL Teams and in my work with executives: Those who master difficult conversations outperform their peers not just in team satisfaction, but in decision quality and innovation. The problem? Most of us enter difficult conversations with our nervous system already in a threat state. Our brain literally can't access its best thinking when flooded with stress hormones. Through years of working with high-performing teams, I've developed what I call The Mindful Disagreement Framework. Here's how it works: 1. Pause Before Engaging (10 seconds) When triggered by disagreement, take a deliberate breath. This small reset activates your prefrontal cortex instead of your reactive limbic system. Your brain physically needs this transition to think clearly. 2. Set Psychological Safety (30 seconds) Start with: "I appreciate your perspective and want to understand it better. I also have some different thoughts to share." This simple opener signals respect while creating space for different viewpoints. 3. Lead with Curiosity, Not Certainty (2 minutes) Ask at least three questions before stating your position. This practice significantly increases the quality of solutions because it broadens your understanding before narrowing toward decisions. 4. Name the Shared Purpose (1 minute) "We both want [shared goal]. We're just seeing different paths to get there." This reminds everyone you're on the same team, even with different perspectives. 5. Separate Impact from Intent (30 seconds) "When X happened, I felt Y, because Z. I know that wasn't your intention." This formula transforms accusations into observations. Last month, I used this exact framework in a disagreement. The conversation that could have damaged our relationship instead strengthened it. Not because we ended up agreeing, but because we disagreed respectfully. (It may or may not have been with my kid!) The most valuable disagreements often feel uncomfortable. The goal isn't comfort. It's growth. What difficult conversation are you avoiding right now? Try this framework tomorrow and watch what happens to your leadership influence. ___ Follow me, Jon Macaskill for more leadership focused content. And feel free to repost if someone in your life needs to hear this. 📩 Subscribe to my newsletter here → https://lnkd.in/g9ZFxDJG You'll get FREE access to my 21-Day Mindfulness & Meditation Course packed with real, actionable strategies to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose.

In business and life, the best outcomes go to the best negotiators. Most people think negotiation is about winning. It's actually about understanding. What separates good deals from great ones? It's not aggression. It's not manipulation. It's not who talks loudest. It comes down to mastering the human side of the exchange. Here's the path that works: 1. Prepare Like You Mean It Research goes beyond Google. Understand their pressures, their goals, their challenges. Knowledge becomes helpful when used with care. 2. Open With Real Connection Forget the power plays. Start with curiosity and respect. The tone you set in the first 5 minutes shapes everything that follows. 3. Explore What's Underneath People fight for positions. But they negotiate for reasons. "I need a better price" might really mean "My boss needs to see I'm adding value." Find the why behind the what. 4. Trade Value, Create Value The best deals aren't zero-sum. Look for ways both sides can win. Sometimes what costs you little means everything to them. 5. Close With Total Clarity Handshakes aren't contracts. Document what you agreed to. Confirm next steps before you leave. Ambiguity kills more deals than disagreement. The biggest mistake I see leaders make? They negotiate like it's combat. But the best outcomes come from collaboration. When you're across the table, remember: 👂 Listen more than you speak ❓ Ask "Help me understand..." when stuck ⏸️ Take breaks when emotions rise 👟 Know your walk-away point before you sit down Your style matters too. Sometimes you need to compete. Sometimes you need to accommodate. The magic is knowing when to shift. Success isn’t given. It’s negotiated. But how you negotiate determines whether you build bridges or burn them. Choose wisely. 📌 Save this for your next negotiation. ♻️ Repost if this helps you (or someone on your team) negotiate. 👉 Follow Desiree Gruber for more tools on storytelling, leadership, and brand building.

Negotiation tactics we used to decrease our SaaS spend by 30% in the last year: It’s amazing to me how much room there is in SaaS pricing. The price is not the price is not the price. You can always negotiate, and there are often loopholes that can save you a ton of money. Here are some of them: - Cancel the renewal before the negotiation. We send cancellation notices to our biggest opportunity negotiations months in advance, and tell them that we will only renew upon having a new deal. Often, account reps can provide special discounts for “at risk” clients. - Get your usage data. We always dig through our data before a negotiation. If our usage is lower than expected, we use that as leverage. For example, our hiring has gone down by about 60% post-ZIRP, but we still paid the same annual price for our applicant tracking system. We showed them the data and made it clear the software wasn’t worth what we were paying. - Be nice. Honestly, sometimes I get frustrated because I know I’m getting the runaround. Every time I do, it backfires. When I’m on my A-game, I’m nice - I tell them I love their software, it is useful, but we just don’t have as much of a need right now. It’s not you, it’s me. I do tell the truth, though, so they know I’m genuine with my praise and critiques. - Compare their costs to other options. There are 3 different types of comparisons: 1) direct competitors. Just call them and get a quote. 2) indirect competitors. Oftentimes another company offers a “basic” version of the software you’re using, so you can use that as leverage: “we don’t need an applicant tracking system because we already pay for Notion”. 3) budget competitors. Compare the pricing of x subscription with y subscription. We regularly compare unrelated products and say: you are the 2nd highest cost product we use, even though you aren’t the 2nd most valuable to us. - Ask 3x. You almost always have to negotiate at least three times to get the best deal. It doesn’t work with every company, but most account reps have latitude and at some point you’re not worth their time. Take advantage and just make sure you press multiple times in a row instead of taking the first offer. I’m surprised at how often we get our way in these negotiations. Sometimes I step in as the founder, but now my team has watched this playbook and gets the same results on their own. You don’t need to be a founder or a business unit leader to do this: act like an owner and make sure your company isn’t wasting money!

Here’s the proposal template that helped me close over $100 million in enterprise sales: It’s also helped my clients close more than 50% of their deals when they use it. And until now, I’ve never shared it publicly. Most sellers are great at pitching features. But the ones who consistently win big deals? They know how to tell a great story. The truth is, executives don’t buy products - they buy confidence. They buy vision. They buy a story they want to be part of. If you want to sell like a top 1% seller, you need a proposal that doesn’t just inform… it moves people. Here’s how I do it 👇 The Story Mountain Framework for Sales Proposals: 1. Exposition – Introduce the characters and setting. Start with them: → “You’re trying to expand into new markets… to grow revenue… to unify your tech stack…” Set the vision. Make them the hero. 2. Rising Action – Lay out the challenges and obstacles. → “But growth stalled. Competitors moved faster. Customer churn increased.” Quote discovery calls. Surface real pain. Build emotional tension. 3. Climax – Introduce your solution. → “Then you found a better way…” Now show how your solution helps them overcome the exact obstacles you outlined. 4. Falling Action – Ease the tension. → “Here’s our implementation plan. Here’s the ROI. Here’s how others in your industry succeeded.” Give them confidence that this won’t just work—it will work for them. 5. Resolution – End with clarity. → “Here’s our mutual action plan. Let’s get started.” Lock in buy-in, next steps, and forward momentum. This structure has helped me close some of the biggest deals of my career—including an $8-figure enterprise deal at Salesforce where I used this exact approach. I broke it all down in this week’s training—and for the first time ever, I show you the actual proposal I used AND tell you how to access my Killer Proposal Template for free. 👀 Watch the full training here: https://lnkd.in/gPY_cvv5 No more boring product pitches. No more ghosting after the readout. Just proposals that close.