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Ask For It
How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Want
Ask For It (2008) gives women advice on how to successfully negotiate to get the jobs and salaries they want and deserve. These blinks outline the do’s and don’ts of negotiation so that those who aren’t used to asking for more can learn how to do so the right way.
- Women who want to be better negotiators
- Anyone who’s afraid to ask for what they want
- Women looking to further their careers
Linda Babcock is a professor of economics and has won several awards as an educator. Her research has been published in the American Economic Review and the Quarterly Journal of Economics, among others.
Sara Laschever is a writer who renders complex themes into enjoyable and accessible prose. She writes about many topics such as pop culture, literature and science and has been featured in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, Glamour and Vogue.
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Ask For It
How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Want
- Read in 15 minutes
- Audio & text available
- Contains 9 key ideas
Synopsis
Ask For It (2008) gives women advice on how to successfully negotiate to get the jobs and salaries they want and deserve. These blinks outline the do’s and don’ts of negotiation so that those who aren’t used to asking for more can learn how to do so the right way.
Key idea 1 of 9
Find out what you want in life by asking what’s missing.
When we were children, grown-ups often asked us what we wanted to do when we grow up. Even now, as adults, we still get asked the same question.
Unfortunately, for most of us, the answer isn’t easy. In particular, it’s hard for modern-day women to separate their true desires and ambitions from what they’ve been told they should want. This is because women have been socialized to act according to what is expected of them instead of being encouraged to follow their personal wishes.
For example, Vanessa, a friend of the author’s, didn’t know which career to pursue after college. Since both her mother and sister had become teachers, she thought that it was only fitting that she follow the same path. However, once she entered the profession, she found it wasn’t the job for her.
Knowing that she needed a change, Vanessa closed her eyes and tried to imagine what she truly wanted. What she saw was herself working somewhere outdoors, among nature, and she realized that she wanted to work in a garden. Vanessa then went on to start her very own landscaping company.
To work out what you want in life, you need to start by asking yourself what’s missing.
One way could be rediscovering old activities that you used to partake in and enjoy. Michele, another friend of the author’s, was a principal. She had a good job and a loving family, but despite it all, there was a part of her that felt unfulfilled. Remembering her childhood, Michele was reminded of how she used to enjoy drawing and sketching. Turns out it was creativity that was absent from her life, and so she signed up for drawing classes and rediscovered a favorite hobby. As a result, Michele’s life became more balanced and full of happiness.
After you work out what you want, you’re ready to learn that you can control your own life. In the next blink, let’s have a look at making that happen.
Key ideas in this title
- Find out what you want in life by asking what’s missing.
- Women often believe they have no control over their lives and therefore don’t ask for raises.
- Negotiation happens every day, and you need to be prepared for it.
- Don’t ask for too much, but don’t undervalue yourself either.
- During negotiations, you should focus on what you want as well as what’s important for the other party.
- It is better to be in cooperation than competition, so consider the interests of all involved.
- Unfortunately, women still feel the need to watch what they say and remain pleasant.
- In a negotiation, you need to remain focused on your upper target and be patient.
- Final summary
