Research: Before entering a negotiation, African women should research their industry, the company, and their role to understand the market rate for their position and what their peers are earning.
Quantify achievements: African women should document and quantify their achievements in the workplace, including any projects they have led or contributed to, and any revenue or cost savings they have generated for the company.
Build relationships: Building positive relationships with managers and colleagues can help African women gain support for their negotiation and create a more collaborative environment.
Practice: African women should practice their negotiation skills ahead of time, anticipating potential objections and preparing responses to them.
Be confident: Confidence in one’s abilities and value is essential in a negotiation. African women should avoid downplaying their achievements or accepting less than they deserve.
Focus on value: African women should emphasize the value they bring to the company and how a raise or promotion will benefit both themselves and the organization.
Avoid ultimatums: Ultimatums can damage relationships and leave a negative impression. Instead, African women should focus on finding a win-win solution that meets both their needs and the company.
Be flexible: Negotiations are a two-way street, and African women should be open to compromise and alternative solutions that still meet their goals.
Stay calm: Emotions can run high in negotiations, but African women should strive to stay calm, professional, and focused on their objectives.
Follow-up: After a negotiation, African women should follow up with their managers to ensure that any agreements made are implemented and continue building positive relationships.
In conclusion, African women can use negotiation skills to ask for a raise or promotion by researching, quantifying achievements, building relationships, practising, being confident, focusing on value, avoiding ultimatums, being flexible, staying calm, and following up. By using these strategies, African women can overcome bias and achieve their professional goals.
