Strengthen Your Position Before Asking

WHY IT WORKS

Requests succeed mostly on what is already true when they are made. A short preparation period — finishing a visible win, documenting results, aligning timing with budgets — raises the baseline so the conversation becomes a confirmation rather than a debate.

WHEN TO USE IT

• You plan to ask for a raise, promotion or rate change in the coming weeks.
• Your current case relies on effort rather than evidence.

WHEN NOT TO USE IT

• The request is urgent and waiting would cause harm.
• Delaying is a way of avoiding the conversation indefinitely.

SIGNALS IT FITS

• You would struggle to name two concrete results to support your ask.
• Budget decisions are about to be made and you have not positioned yourself.

PREPARATION

• List the three facts that would make your request obviously reasonable.
• Identify which of those you can create or document within two weeks.

STEP BY STEP

1. Choose a target date for the request aligned to the decision calendar.
2. Complete or document the strongest supporting result.
3. Gather one external benchmark if relevant.
4. Make the request with the evidence leading, not the need.

OPENING LINE

“Before our review, I'd like to share a few results from this quarter that I think are relevant.”

SCRIPT

Over the last two quarters I've taken on the vendor portfolio and cut renewal costs by 14%. I'd like to discuss moving to senior level in this review cycle.

LIKELY RESPONSES & COUNTERS

If they say the timing is wrong

Ask when the right time is and what evidence they would need by then.

If they question one of the results

Thank them, clarify the measurement, and offer the source data.

SECOND MOVE

If they agree in principle but stall, use Turn Maybe into a Date.

FOLLOW-UP

Keep a running record of results so the next request needs less preparation.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Preparing so long that the decision window closes.
• Leading with personal financial need instead of contribution.

WALK-AWAY CONDITIONS

• Strong documented results are repeatedly acknowledged but never acted on.

EXAMPLE (FICTIONAL)

An analyst planned to ask for a raise in March. She waited three weeks to finish a pricing model the CFO used in a board deck, then made the request citing it. The raise was approved in the same budget round.

RELATED MOVES

• Move 30: Document Wins Before You Need Them
• Move 4: Define Success Before You Start
• Move 20: Build a Real Alternative