There’s one insight in our client work that many people would find surprising: mid-career professionals often land stronger increases, both in percentage terms and in absolute dollars, than do senior executives.

At first glance, it feels counterintuitive. Senior leaders negotiate business deals, oversee large teams and budgets, and carry higher titles that signal experience and competence. But job offer negotiations draw on a different set of muscles, and the instincts that help people succeed at the executive level don’t always translate cleanly.

Our conversation covers:

• How common executive instincts like decisiveness and transparency can cause leaders to move too fast and lose early leverage

• Why “executive presence” can backfire

• Why role scarcity raises the stakes for senior candidates, and how the pressure to land a rare role can push executives to accept terms prematurely

If you’re a senior leader, mid-career professional, or simply someone who wants to negotiate with more steadiness and clarity, you’ll find a ton of insight in this episode about how to stay grounded and ask for what you actually need.

For more:

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