Salary Negotiation Isn’t Just a Conversation, It’s a Career Strategy

Lisa Chubinsky, with the Philadelphia Chapter of WTS, following her workshop “Negotiate Salary with Confidence and Clarity.”

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to lead a workshop on Salary Negotiation with Confidence and Clarity for a room full of experienced professionals. It was a powerful reminder that even the most accomplished leaders can hesitate when it comes to advocating for themselves.

Why? Because negotiation brings up more than numbers. It touches how we communicate our value, how we respond under pressure, and how we lead ourselves through uncertainty.

In other words, it’s a moment where Executive Presence takes center stage.

Negotiation is not a standalone skill, it’s part of your broader leadership toolkit. And it’s often where small communication shifts can have an outsized impact.

Here are three ways Executive Presence shows up in salary negotiation and how you can strengthen yours:

1. Speak to business impact, not just effort. Leaders with Executive Presence link their contributions to outcomes. Instead of listing responsibilities, focus on how your work has moved the needle. Whether that’s revenue growth, operational efficiency, team performance, or market expansion, these accomplishments support your value. Also, this shifts the conversation from “what you do” to “why it matters.”

2. Stay steady when the conversation gets uncomfortable. Negotiations can often trigger emotion, especially when the stakes feel high. Executive presence means holding your ground without becoming defensive or deflated. Pausing, breathing, and staying anchored in your value helps you to lead the conversation rather than react to it.

3. Own the moment. Don’t outsource it. Executive Presence means showing up fully. That includes resisting the urge to defer to recruiters or let “the process” speak for you. Leaders who handle these conversations directly are seen as more decisive, mature, and ready for higher levels of responsibility.

When you handle negotiations well, it becomes more than a request. It becomes a reflection of how you lead.

If you’re preparing for a negotiation, stepping into a new role, or simply recognizing it’s time to ask for more, this is a moment worth preparing for. Because it’s not just about negotiating compensation. It’s about stepping into the leader that you're becoming.

Let’s accelerate your rise and make sure your next chapter is your best yet.

If you’d like to explore how our signature program, The Executive Career Accelerator™ can support your next move, please feel free to sign up for a Complimentary Career Strategy Session. We’ll discuss your goals, what’s ahead, and how to navigate it with more confidence, clarity, and strategy.

Lisa Chubinsky, CPCC, CSP, CTS, CPC, is Founder and CEO of New Career Directions. She combines her expertise as a Certified Career Coach, Executive Coach, Resume Writer, and former Executive Recruiter to empower mid- to senior-level leaders in life sciences and manufacturing to achieve breakthrough career and leadership growth.