Empowering Women in Negotiation
UVU Women in Business Impact Lab
Collaborating with community partners to support the advancement of women in the workplace.
by Angela Owens-Schill, DBA, MBA, MEd, MLitt
One study aimed at considering the attitudes or difference between men and women when it came to negotiating job salaries. Researchers examined the starting salaries of female and male MBA graduates from Carnegie Mellon University. Results showed that men’s salaries were 7.5% higher than women. In questioning these alumni, it was discovered that 7% of the women had negotiated their salary for more money while 57% of the men had done the same. Those who negotiated, raised their starting salaries by 7.4% - indicating that negotiation potentially played a large role in starting salaries. While we don’t know all of the factors that led to higher salaries, we do know that more men than women negotiated those salaries. Why is there such a disparity in the numbers regarding negotiation???
As I was pondering this question and looking for more information in my files on negotiation, I found some slides I had prepared for a presentation I gave on conflict and negotiation a few years ago. One section of my presentation specifically focused on women and negotiation; all of the images I had selected depicted men negotiating with other men. It surprised me that I had not seen the irony of my own presentation. My visuals did not adequately match my message. There is nothing inherently wrong with implementing images of men negotiating in my slide presentation, however, if the message was that women should also engage in negotiations, then I should use some images portraying that as well! It is possible that I struggled to find images that portrayed negotiations that included women. Maybe, at the time, I had a subconscious belief that it was more common for men to conduct negotiations, which instinctively influenced the images I chose. It is also possible that I simply did not pay attention. I think all three possibilities represent issues that need to be addressed.
Women Absent from the Negotiation Table
In an HBR article, Hannah Riley Bowles states that research indicates women are less likely to negotiate when it comes to salary because they often pay a social cost later if they negotiate, whereas, men’s social consequences post-negotiation are not as severe. These social costs can simply be the lasting impressions that follow the employee once they have tried to negotiate which might result in less favorable circumstances for the employee in the workplace. Women can often sense the threat of these social costs intuitively, making negotiation more intimidating.?
Application: An interesting concept introduced as a way to counter this negotiation challenge is to take advantage of a strategy honed by Sheryl Sandburg called “think personally, act communally.” Rather than taking an assertive stance for your petition outright, approaching a negotiation by advocating for your counterpart’s position in a discussion shows that you see things from their perspective. From there, you include your own perspective as an extension of theirs, putting yourself on the same team with your counterpart – showing how their support of you and your request supports their own vision and benefits the entire team. The framing for your negotiation can make all of the difference.
Unconscious Biases & Cultural Norms
Perhaps one reason that women face more barriers when it comes to negotiation can be tied to cultural norms and even unconscious biases that have negative connotations for women in negotiations. Another article by Kathryn Valentine and Hannah Riley Bowles outlines certain myths about negotiation that should be dispelled from our collective consciousness. One myth is that men negotiate and women do not. Men and women can both find it difficult to negotiate for things that do not fall in line with common social stereotypes. This means that men find more resistance in negotiating for family-friendly work flexibility while women find this resistance in negotiating for higher pay. Another myth is that negotiation backlash is inevitable, resulting in alienation or other repercussions. This kind of fallout does not have to be the norm.
?Application: Organizations can get educated and then educate their managers about possible biases and prejudice that would result in discrimination when it comes to negotiation. Organizations can also educate their employees and encourage men and women to negotiate and self-advocate in their career advancement. Again, for women in particular, self-advocating can be more successful when framed in ways that indicate you are aware of the bigger picture and that what you are asking for is mutually beneficial.
Paying Attention and Being Intentional
Research has determined that individuals who consistently negotiate salary increases stand to earn an additional one million dollars by retirement when compared to those who do not negotiate at all. That is a lot to leave on the table. As individuals become more willing to approach the negotiation table and become educated on ways to self-advocate, research shows that skills and confidence needed to improve negotiation tactics can be learned. Suzanne de Janasz and Beth Cabrera shared some of the strategies for women to be successful in a negotiation.
Application: Strategies include diving in and gathering all the necessary information to be fully informed to arm you with data you need to be successful in negotiations, rather than letting fear prompt avoidance. Practicing and visualizing the entire negotiation and potential outcomes can help in the preparation phase, as well. Another suggested strategy is developing positive thoughts surrounding an upcoming negotiation to help create positive emotions and more creative thinking as well as laying the foundation for a more collaborative and ideal outcome. Increasing your own emotional intelligence is also a suggested strategy that will build your confidence. This includes being more aware of your own as well as others’ emotions, which, in turn, can decrease emotional intensity and reactivity in negotiations. Mindfulness practices like meditation are a great way to practice building emotional intelligence. Finally, negotiating for multiple things at a time can also be a strategy that sidesteps more aggressive negotiating maneuvers for collaborative ones by making the negotiation more focused on problem-solving. This approach can be really helpful when trying to negotiate salary by bringing in all elements of a compensation package.?
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Taken together, these negotiation concepts and strategies offer powerful insights and opportunities for women to take a seat at the table and reap the rewards of negotiation.?
Sources?
Babcock, Linda, et al. (2003). Nice girls don't ask.?Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2003/10/nice-girls-dont-ask?
Babcock, L., & Laschever, S. (2003).?Women don't ask: Negotiation and the gender divide. Princeton University Press.?
Bowles, H.R. Why women don’t negotiate their job offers? Harvard Business Review.
Bowles, H. R., Babcock, L., & Lai, L. (2007). Social incentives for gender differences in the propensity to initiate negotiations: Sometimes it does hurt to ask.?Organizational Behavior and human decision Processes,?103(1), 84-103.?
De Janasz, S., & Cabrera, B. (2018). How women can get what they want in a negotiation.?Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2018/08/how-women-can-get-what-they-want-in-a-negotiation?
Valentine, K. & Boweles, H.R. (2022). 3 negotiation myths still harming women’s careers. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2022/10/3-negotiation-myths-still-harming-womens-careers
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