On Leverage

The longer you wait to pull the lever, the longer the lever gets, the easier it is to pull. 

If you’re not confident always winning short-term negotiations, don’t worry. Neither am I. I consider myself a “slow negotiator.” I’ll let the bulldogs bark and bite. Meanwhile, I’m building a lever longer. 

There’s a strategy in waiting to use your leverage until the best time, especially within an organization. Many negotiation opportunities are short-term. They go away if you wait. But if you’re negotiating your salary or benefits or title within an organization, the longer you bring value to that organization, the more leverage you have to pull. 

Big differences in salary, title, and responsibilities often come down to one negotiation gone right. With a little patience and strategy, your leverage will make these negotiations easy.