Your Raise Will Become Effective When You Are

Your Raise Will Become Effective When You Are – – Harvey Mackay ~ / ~

Former Secretary of Commerce Malcolm Baldridge enjoyed telling how a high-ranking official responded to an employee’s request for a raise by saying: “Because of the influctuational predisposition of your position’s productive capacity as juxtaposed to government standards, it would be monetarily injudicious to advocate an increment.”

Confused, the employee said, “I don’t get it.”

And the supervisor responded, “That’s right.”

Asking for a raise can be a nerve-wracking experience, but with the right approach and preparation, you can increase your chances of success. You need a strategy to help you navigate this important conversation.

First, it is crucial to be well-prepared for your annual salary or performance review. This is often the best time to discuss a raise. Do your homework. Make sure you gather facts that highlight your contributions, organize your achievements in a clear and compelling way, and practice discussing these points so you can present them confidently.

Before you even schedule this meeting, research your value. Understand what the market pays for your role and level of experience. Know your company’s financial health. Is it in a position to even offer raises? Keep a log of your successes, kudos from clients or any recognition you have received.

Timing is everything. Growing up, I knew never to ask for the keys to the car when my parents were in a bad mood. Wait until you’ve had a significant accomplishment, or the company is doing well financially. Maybe it’s a strategic time of year, such as after annual budgets are approved.

“The most difficult thing in any negotiation, almost, is making sure that you strip it of the emotion and deal with the facts,” said Howard Baker, former United States Senator.

You need to present your case. Go through your boss’s review agenda first, showing respect for the process. Afterward, ask to present your own case. Be clear and concise about your contributions and how they have benefited the company.

Robert Herjavec from ABC’s “Shark Tank” said: “You should never come out and say I deserve more money. Nobody cares what you deserve. It’s about what you can do for the company. It’s never I, I, I . . . it’s always what value you can add.”

Prepare yourself for different responses and know what you will do if the answer isn’t what you hoped for. If you don’t get the raise, ask for feedback and what you can do to reach your salary goals. Request additional responsibilities or opportunities that can increase your value. Inquire about professional development opportunities.

Throughout this process, maintain professionalism. Avoid ultimatums unless you are prepared to follow through. Stay calm, regardless of the outcome. Use the experience as a learning opportunity to build a stronger case in the future.

Remember, the key to asking for a raise is to demonstrate your value to the company and to approach the conversation with a blend of confidence and humility.

At one time I had an employee who was absolutely stellar in her performance. She had done her homework thoroughly, understood her value in the marketplace and had a list of accomplishments that benefited the company significantly. She scheduled a meeting with me, and I could tell she was prepared.

During her performance review, she listened attentively and responded to the feedback I provided. Once we had gone through the standard agenda, she respectfully asked if she could present additional information. She laid out her case with such clarity and professionalism, detailing her contributions, the positive feedback from clients and how her work had directly impacted our bottom line.

She also knew the timing was right. Our company had just landed a few big contracts and morale was high. She didn’t come across as entitled; rather she was confident and ready to discuss her future with the company.

I was impressed by her approach. It was evident she wasn’t just asking for more money. She was demonstrating her ongoing commitment to our collective success. She made it easy for me to say yes because she showed me the reason. And while not every situation works out so smoothly, her approach is one I recommend to anyone looking to ask for a raise.

Sometimes the best time to ask for a raise is not when you think you need it, but when you know the company can’t afford to lose you.

Mackay’s Moral: If you want them to show you the money, you better show them the reason.

There Is Purpose In Slow Growth

There Is Purpose In Slow Growth! – – Robert Rohm ~ / ~

Nature teaches us so many wonderful truths. Some of them are easy to accept, while others are more difficult to grasp. I believe one of the greatest challenges I have experienced in my own personal life is being willing to accept the fact that genuine, solid growth is usually very slow. Fast growth is always more comfortable for me! I think almost everyone would agree that it seems logical to want to see our lives grow quickly so we can feel as though we are making good progress in our personal growth and development rather than going nowhere fast!

Sometimes, however, the feeling of going nowhere is very necessary. Think about it for just a minute. In the springtime, when the leaves begin to open on the trees, we know that it is time for them to bring forth new life. But what has been taking place over the winter months? You guessed it – slow growth. And the growth has not primarily been upwards toward the sky; it has been downward, deep in the earth. It is during the cold winter months, as the trees search for nourishment, that the roots go down deepest. Yet, at the same time, the tree is getting stronger because it is developing a deep root system that will sustain it during the coming months and years. The slow growth that takes place in the winter gives a tree the strength it will need to face the storms and strong winds that will surely come in the spring and summer months.

Here in Georgia, there are basically two kinds of trees: pines and oaks. Pine trees grow tall fairly quickly, but oaks, not so much. Every time there is a storm in the spring, you can look around and see the pines scattered all over the ground. They snap in the strong winds because they are so flimsy. Often, people will go to great lengths and expense to have pine trees removed from their property so that they do not fall on their houses in times of a storm.

The other kind of tree here is the big oak. It usually withstands all sorts of storms because it is so strong. It takes much longer to grow an oak tree than it does a pine. Every time I look at the majestic oak, I think to myself, “That is what I want to be like.”

However, the tree illustration is not limited to pines and oaks. Other trees teach us this great truth about slow growth as well, and none is more important than the Chinese bamboo.

Seeds for the Chinese bamboo tree are planted in wet marshland and fertilized. Then they are left alone. During the second year, the bamboo is fertilized again, even though no apparent growth has taken place. During the third and fourth years, more fertilizer is applied to the bamboo, but to the casual observer, it seems to be a hopeless task. Nothing seems to be happening at all. Then, in the fifth year, suddenly, something does happen! Because there has been so much care given to the bamboo, it comes out of the ground and begins to grow. Before the season is over it will grow 90 feet!

Now, here’s the question: “Did the Chinese bamboo grow 90 feet in the fifth year? Or did it grow 90 feet in five years?” It took years of preparation to put the bamboo in a position to grow quickly when the time was right. I think you get the point. The growth would never have occurred without all the seed planting, nourishment, fertilizer, sunshine, and water during those five years. It looks like the rapid growth only occurred in that fifth year, but the person who planted the seeds for the Chinese bamboo and cared for them during those five years can tell you otherwise. It is a SLOW process!

Let me encourage you to look at the slow growth process in your own life in this new way. It is necessary if you want your roots to go deeper. It is necessary if you want to grow stronger and become more fruitful. And one last word.

Personally, I have two speeds: fast and full blast. I like things to move quickly because it keeps me interested and well-connected. Research, however, shows that approximately 40% of the general population are wired like me, but 60% are more reserved or slower-paced. I think nature itself is trying to teach us to “slow down and smell the roses” for a reason. There are just some things that take time to nurture, like marriage, child-rearing, getting an education, and becoming wise. It has been quite an adjustment for me to re-think this concept, but I have found it to be a very helpful truth in my own personal life. I trust you will find it helpful for you as well.

Tip: There is purpose in slow growth!

Have a great week! God bless you! Dr. Robert A. Rohm

40 Tips For A Better Life

40 Tips For A Better Life. – Robert Rohm ~ / ~

Recently I got a great email from my good friend. I wanted to pass it along to you. I have received many lists like this before but, this is a brand new one. I don’t know if you have seen it yet or not, but I promise you it is a good one.

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day – preferably in the morning and feel your feelings.

3. Go to bed early and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement, “My purpose today is to _________.”

5. Live with the 3 E’s – Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did last year.

7. Make time to practice meditation and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds and walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk, and let new positive energy into your life.

14. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip or issues of the past, negative thought, or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school, and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and then fade away in time, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed-out debit card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUES away.

18. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business. Don’t let people rent space in your head for free!

28. REMEMBER GOD can heal everything. Just give Him some time.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful, or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.

35. Do the next right thing!

36. Call your family often.

37. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _____________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don’t want a fast pass! You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Send this to everyone you care about. I just did.

And here are a couple of bonuses:

The only reason to be alive is to enjoy it. Happiness is a journey, not a destination!

“If you need help, ask God. If you don’t, thank God!”

Isn’t that a great list? As I read through it, I couldn’t help but think that I would love to write an expanded Tip on each one of those forty points. Who knows? Maybe I will!

For now, print a copy of this list and begin to apply as many as possible on a daily basis. I have already been doing this and have found it to be a great help. I am sure that it will be beneficial to you as well.

Tip: 40 Tips for a better life.

Have a great week! God bless you! Dr. Robert A. Rohm