The Kubera Principle

The Book That Will Change the World

Leaders: watch this before you pay a higher salary!

As a leader, we are often put in a position where employees ask for a higher salary. And even if they deserve it, we also have to manage our budgets and overhead costs.

So what to do when you enter those salary negotiations and are asked to pay more?

First let’s talk about what NOT to do:

Do not react impulsively!

❌ Don’t start talking numbers
❌ Don’t say yes or no immediately
❌ Don’t dismiss or underplay their request

First we need to:
💡 Understand the motivation behind their ask
WHY do they say they want a salary increase?

‘I want more money’ can mean:
💭 I want a higher job title
💭 I want more recognition
💭 I am frustrated about something – this is me saying ‘I’m fed up!’
💭 And of course it can actually mean “I need more money.”

When we understand the real need, we can come to solutions without necessarily increasing our overhead costs.

The goal is to bond with our employees, understand their needs, their motivations, their goals. And help them achieve that.

This is how we go from being a manager to being a leader.

We listen, we care, we communicate, we motivate and we pay what is fair.

The price we pay for NOT doing it is too high.

Thoughts?

Love & Motivation,
Lousin Mehrabi