Breaking the Glass Ceiling: How to negotiate a pathway to an executive role

As an ambitious woman, you have every right to aim for the executive level. However, getting there requires astute preparation and negotiation over many years. Here's how you can strategically negotiate your path to the top.

Firstly, understand your value proposition. You bring a unique set of skills and experiences to the table. This is not just something that you hear folks like me tell you, you need to put time in yourself to really believe it. If you aren't confident about what you can deliver, then you will not be able to convince prospective employers of the same. Reflect on your achievements, especially those that have positively impacted the organisation's revenue or reputation. Articulating these successes during negotiations provides a powerful rationale for your promotion. If you are not yet in a role where you can directly affect revenue, cost control, customer journey or organisational level reputation, then consider a career pathway that gets you into those positions.

Next, research, research, research! Review industry norms for roles similar to the one you aspire to occupy. Consider your own performance and whether it builds a natural pathway to the role you are after. Review the geographic and sector impacts on skills like yours, this can often inflate or restrain your market value. Independent data builds your case for a specific salary level in a negotiation. It will build your confidence to have facts and data to support your negotiation strategy.

Thirdly, master the power of persuasion. Align your career aspirations with the strategic goals of the organisation. Put another way, think about how what you want, will help your organisation to get what they want. For example, if you want to take on management of a department, use your past experiences to demonstrate how you have skills that can cover the core capabilities required. Then show that you are ready by providing your vision to drive further growth and innovation in that department. By proposing how you can take the next career step in a way that aligns with organisational strategic objectives, it makes it difficult for decision-makers to say 'No'.

Lastly, have a strong BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). Explore other job opportunities, network extensively, and consider what other roles might be available to you. Having an attractive alternative increases your confidence and shows that you're not desperate and can walk away if you don't have career opportunities in your current role.

With thorough preparation, persuasive communication, and strategic foresight, you can break through the glass ceiling and secure an executive role.