PD Pathways

Negotiation is like archery. The bull’s eye represents your goal—the outcome you’re aiming for. Even if you don’t hit the exact center, getting close is still a win. But to score, you need to know where that bull’s eye is in the first place. If it’s foggy or unclear, your shot is much more likely to miss the mark.

Identify Your Bull’s Eye: Your Outcome Goal

Start by asking yourself: what is the bull’s eye you’re aiming for in this negotiation? Picture the actual raise, promotion, or career opportunity in concrete terms. Quantify it as clearly as possible—whether it’s a specific salary figure, a more flexible work schedule, or a new leadership title. This level of specificity isn’t just nice to have; it’s essential.

Tap into the emotional boost, the sense of value, and motivation that a successful outcome will bring to you. Defining this aspect deeply enriches your negotiation’s purpose and drives you to pursue it with conviction.

Define Your Ideal Outcome Versus the Minimum Acceptable Outcome

Once you’re clear on the bull’s eye, expand that goal by defining both your ideal and minimum acceptable outcomes. The ideal outcome is your best-case scenario, the high mark that would feel genuinely rewarding. The minimum acceptable outcome, on the other hand, is the lowest point where you would still consider the negotiation worthwhile.

With these boundaries, you’re not as easily swayed into accepting less than you’ve determined is fair and strategically valuable. 

Connect Your Outcome to Your Personal “Why.” 

Consider why you’re negotiating for this raise, promotion, or new title beyond the immediate gain. Anchoring your goal in your core motivations amplifies your determination to stand firm.

When you have a clear “why,” you’re more persuasive, compelling, and authentic. You come across as someone with purpose, not just someone seeking numbers or status.

Understand What You Don’t Want

Understanding what you don’t want can be equally as enlightening as knowing what you do want. It sharpens your perspective and highlights what you’re not willing to compromise on, revealing your “walk-away” point.

For instance, if you’re negotiating for a raise but know you don’t want to take on additional responsibilities that don’t align with your skills or values, then you’ve established a boundary. This boundary fortifies your position, ensuring you don’t settle for an arrangement that diminishes your value. Recognizing what you won’t accept protects your priorities and keeps the focus on your core outcome goal.

Define Your Non-Negotiables

Non-negotiables are the aspects of your negotiation where there is zero flexibility. They are the deal-breakers that set the limits on how much you’re willing to compromise. Being aware of your non-negotiables creates a solid foundation for your stance and protects you from bending in ways that could undermine your long-term goals.

Clarifying these non-negotiables signals a line you won’t cross and safeguards your goal from shifting under pressure.

Focus on How You Want to Feel

Perhaps you’re looking to feel validated, empowered, or strategically positioned. Visualizing the emotions tied to your outcome adds a layer of motivation and helps anchor your approach.

By focusing on how you want to feel, you reinforce the importance of standing firm for what truly matters.

Review Your Outcome Goal

When you look at your goal, ask yourself if it evokes excitement—or perhaps even a bit of fear. If your goal doesn’t stir you at all, it might be too low or lacking ambition. In that case, ask yourself whether it’s worth aiming higher. Goals that challenge you to grow are more engaging, more meaningful, and keep you committed even when things get tough.

Amplify Your Goal to Match Your Career Aspirations

Your outcome goal should be in harmony with your career aspirations. If it doesn’t align with your larger vision, consider recalibrating it. The stronger the alignment between your goal and your career path, the clearer and more purposeful your negotiation stance becomes.

Clarifying and amplifying your outcome goal is about more than just knowing what you want; it’s about setting yourself up for success. By being specific, understanding what you will and won’t accept, and anchoring your goal in what truly matters to you, you create a powerful foundation. You’re not just aiming; you’re aiming with purpose and clarity, which sets you apart and strengthens your negotiating position.

When you negotiate from this place of clarity, you transform from someone hoping for a raise or promotion into a confident leader commanding respect and earning your worth.

Carrie Gallant, JD is an executive leadership coach, negotiation strategist and coauthor of “Conversation Secrets for Tomorrow's Leaders: 21 Obvious Secrets Leaders Do Not Use Enough". As a former lawyer and executive, she truly understands the challenges many leaders navigate. Carrie and her work have been featured in Cosmo Magazine, goop.com, women.com, vice.com, The Globe and Mail, The Financial Post, and on Global News, News1130/680News and CBC Radio. 

Join her in person on August 20 in Vancouver at the PD Nexus: Thriving at Work (and Beyond) for her breakout session on Beyond Impostor Syndrome. You can also learn from her virtually through the Women in Leadership Certificate Program, or at your own pace with her on‑demand course Mastering Negotiation in Uncertain Times: Beyond the Numbers for CPAs.

Interested in more negotiation seminars? Explore pd.bccpa.ca