According to a recent article about negotiation fatigue by The Wall Street Journal’s Careers and Work Columnist, Callum Borchers, only 31% of people who changed jobs in Q1 of 2025 negotiated their offers, compared to 49% in the last quarter of 2024. The article suggests that declining to negotiate can result in leaving money on the table or missing out on other valuable employment perks.
In my practice, I meet many senior executives who have never negotiated their salary or are unsure how to approach it. Failing to negotiate is a lost opportunity. At the executive level, a job offer is not merely a formality—it’s a pivotal business transaction. It reflects your leadership value, signals how an organization views your potential impact, and sets the tone for your tenure. Yet, even seasoned professionals often underestimate the power of strategic negotiation.
Successful executives know that negotiation isn’t about squeezing every dollar—it’s about aligning expectations, securing the right resources, and positioning yourself to deliver results from day one. Here’s a framework to help you navigate job offer negotiations with confidence, clarity, and executive presence.
1. Treat Negotiation as a Leadership Conversation
Negotiation is not a tactical battle; it’s a strategic discussion. It’s your first opportunity to demonstrate how you manage high-stakes conversations, advocate for value, and build mutual trust.
Approach the dialogue as you would any business deal:
- Articulate your value clearly and confidently.
- Seek alignment, not dominance.
- Focus on outcomes, not emotions.
2. Know Your Value—and Communicate It Effectively
At the executive level, your compensation should reflect the impact you can deliver. Move beyond past salary history and instead focus on:
- Strategic wins and quantifiable achievements.
- Operational and financial outcomes you’ve driven.
- Your role in transformation, innovation, or growth.
Use these to frame the conversation around value creation, not just job fulfillment.
3. Understand the Timing and the Terrain
Negotiation doesn’t start with the offer; it starts with the initial interaction. The way you present yourself on LinkedIn, in your resume, and during the interview process establishes the foundation for the eventual discussion.
Once an offer is made:
- Never accept immediately—executive decisions require due diligence.
- Request written terms for review.
- Evaluate total alignment with your goals, values, and expectations.
4. Think Beyond Base Salary
While base compensation is important, strategic executives look at the entire package. Consider:
- Performance incentives aligned with KPIs.
- Equity, stock options, or profit-sharing structures.
- Executive benefits such as deferred compensation, club memberships, or supplemental insurance.
- Onboarding resources (team structure, relocation support, executive coaching).
- Exit considerations, including severance, non-compete clauses, or transition agreements.
Everything is negotiable—if positioned as a value-add for the company and yourself.
5. Benchmark Compensation with Precision, Not Guesswork
Executives don’t guess—they gather intelligence. Use credible data sources, trusted recruiters, and board-level advisors to benchmark:
- Compensation norms in similar-sized organizations.
- Sector-specific trends and geographic considerations.
- Internal pay equity implications.
And remember, online salary surveys may serve as directional data, but peer benchmarking and recruiter insight carry greater weight at senior levels.
6. Lead the Discussion, Don’t Avoid It
Deflecting salary conversations is a tactic—owning them is leadership.
If a salary range is not provided, and If asked for your expectations early, respond with:
“I’d like to better understand the role’s scope and success measures. Once we align on those, I’m confident we can arrive at a mutually rewarding package.” Alternatively, you can let them know what your benchmark research shows and respond with: “Based on what I’m seeing in the market, similar positions generally pay between X and Y (make the range fairly wide). Is that consistent with your benchmarking?” Identifying the range positions you as a candidate who understands their value and increases the likelihood that a range will be shared.
When you receive an offer:
- Express appreciation.
- Indicate that you’d like to review and respond after thoughtful consideration.
- If needed, propose a counteroffer with a clear business rationale.
7. Negotiate the Conditions for Success
Smart executives leverage negotiations not only to enhance compensation but also to establish conditions for long-term success. Consider requesting:
- Authority to restructure or build a team.
- Budgetary discretion.
- Board access or mentorship.
- Commitment to specific tools, platforms, or support systems.
By aligning negotiation outcomes with your ability to deliver, you’re setting both yourself and the organization up to win.
8. Know When to Walk—and When to Lead
Every leader needs a defined threshold. Before entering negotiation, identify:
- Your minimum viable offer.
- Deal-breaker clauses (e.g., restrictive non-competes or lack of autonomy).
- Non-monetary must-haves tied to your performance.
Be prepared to walk away if the opportunity lacks strategic alignment. The right organization will value your clarity and conviction.
Executive negotiation is not about getting the most—it’s about getting what matters most. It’s a leadership act that reflects your judgment, priorities, and value to the organization.
When done well, negotiation isn’t the end of the hiring process. It’s the beginning of high-impact leadership.
