Robert Herjavec The Shark Tank Way to Ask for a Raise
Of all the dealings people have with their boss or manager, probably none makes them more edgy than asking for a raise. That's understandable. Everyone prefers to be sufficiently rewarded for his or her work, and everyone would like to believe that their worth is so obvious that they shouldn't have to negotiate a fair return. It sounds too much like begging. When they feel that they are insufficiently paid, they need to take action on their own. Like everything else associated with life, they can do it very well or they can do it very poorly. Most people do it poorly. Failed requests for a raise are similar to failed pitches made on Shark Tank. No surprise there  both involve asking for money. The big difference is that employees already have a relationship with the person from whom they want money, but we know little or nothing about the people who appear on Shark Tank. If we turn them down, we don't expect to see them again. But if I turn down a salary increase from an employee whom I generally admire and want to retain, I'm in a difficult spot. In many ways, I want them to make a good case for a raise, because it will confirm or maybe reveal their value to my company and make it easy for me to justify raising their salary. But this doesn't always happen. As on Shark Tank, some efforts make me roll my eyes wondering not only why the employee believes he or she deserves a raise, but also how they managed to find the nerve to even ask for one. In both cases  budding entrepreneurs on Shark Tank and hopeful employees in my office  the same weaknesses keep appearing. Here are a few, Don't fall into that trap when asking for a raise. Be prepared to sell your value to your boss, with solid facts and a respectful manner.