The Woman’s Advantage

Negotiation is no longer a matter of boardroom deals conducted by a few top executives; now, it’s performed by everyone at all levels of an organization. With work becoming less hierarchical and more networked, employees have more control over their working conditions—which translates to more opportunities to negotiate. They must negotiate to secure resources, staffing, and budgets for their projects, to get others to buy into what they’re working on, to set parameters for their colleagues, and to hash out contracts with vendors. Today’s employees also have many jobs over a lifetime, leading to multiple chances to negotiate salary, benefits, vacation time, and job descriptions. And the many people who are self-employed or own their own businesses frequently find themselves negotiating everything from contracts to real estate fees to advertising space to their own workers’ insurance and benefits.