Maybe you've never negotiated for yourself before in your career. You've seen how things work behind the scenes, so your gut says that whatever you ask for, they'll object to it anyway. Why bother risking "no," when you've already got your plate full?

Sometimes when I coach my clients through their own objections like the above, I'm surprised by their ingenuity, resourcefulness, and outcomes.

Let me tell you about one of my clients, Nadine.

"I used to get paid more somewhere else." That was the sentence. Almost an afterthought, dropped near the end of an offer negotiation that had gone beautifully. And it was enough to make my client spiral in doubt. Here’s the coaching I gave her.

If you're a woman of color with career ambitions in a male-dominated industry, you intimately know the resource everyone says you're short on: power. But you still govern your own choices, especially when the system is built to make you feel like you don't have any. So how do we put this power into action? I call it the Three Votes Framework. 

Navigating an exit isn't just a corporate transaction—it’s a declaration of your sovereignty. Whether you are planning a major career transition, looking to turn a toxic situation into an opportunity, or preparing to become your own boss, you deserve a space to strategize your exit safely and authentically.

When people hear “negotiation,” they often picture something adversarial: pounding the table, making threats, trying to “win” at all costs. That’s not how I negotiate, and it’s certainly not how I teach my clients to negotiate.

The women I work with are skilled, thoughtful, and allergic to office politics. They don’t want to turn into jerks to get what they want. They want their income and impact to grow without drama.

That’s where relational negotiation comes in.

You ready for this? 

My client shared something so delightful, I asked her permission right away to share this genius bit of wisdom with you.