Women & Negotiation: Overcoming Barriers & Building Confidence | Business Record
Women often face a double standard when negotiating, perceived as unlikeable or aggressive when advocating for themselves in ways that are often lauded in men, according to experts who discussed the issue on the “Fearless” podcast this week. The episode, titled “Nasty or nice: When and how women negotiate,” featured Cristy Tackett-Hunt, general counsel of Perfusion Solution Inc., and Beth Livingston, a professor at the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, alongside podcast co-hosts LaDrina Wilson and Macey Shofroth.
Livingston, whose research was highlighted during the conversation, explained that negotiation dynamics often differ between genders. “Negotiation comes up time and time again in the literature as being an issue that is differentiated between men and women, particularly in terms of the outcomes that men and women tend to negotiate and the situations under which they choose to negotiate,” she said. “Women often fall into what we call gendered norms of negotiation, where they’re perhaps a little bit more other-concerned or other-centered and less self-centered in the way in which they negotiate.”
Tackett-Hunt, a practicing attorney, offered practical advice for women navigating these challenges, particularly when discussing compensation. “I would never start the negotiation – that’s a lawyer trick,” she stated. “Never throw the number out first. A lot of times people will ask what you think Make sure to create or what your goals are, and I think you can answer that question without getting into specific dollar amounts. It could be something as simple as, ‘Well, we know what the market’s doing and what the market’s paying, and I want to be a market rate.’ Talking in less concrete terms will serve you well, especially out of the box.”
The conversation similarly addressed the psychological hurdles women face when negotiating, particularly after receiving a job offer. Livingston noted that a sense of gratitude can sometimes prevent women from advocating for their worth. “There can be a sense of, when you’re offered a job, a sense of relief, of gratefulness,” she said. “There can be a fear then that if I ask for more, they’re going to take it away from me or they’re going to think I’m ungrateful. There’s a psychological point to be like, ‘You are worthy of this job.’ We see not a gift. It is something that you have earned. And therefore you can ask for what you believe you deserve.”
Both experts emphasized reframing negotiation as a collaborative problem-solving exercise rather than a zero-sum game. Livingston suggested positioning employee compensation as an investment in the company’s success. “With many negotiations it can feel that there are … a winner and a loser. It can feel like, ‘Well if you get more money, we as a company get less.’ There’s this idea that this is a zero sum negotiation,” she explained. “I like to strive to say, ‘Your employees are assets, are investments, are components of what makes your company work. … How can we be on the same page and solve a problem?’” Tackett-Hunt added that revisiting initial expectations is a valid negotiation tactic when a job’s realities differ from what was originally presented. “Often people find themselves in a bit of a quandary … when they accepted a job under a certain set of expectations, and then they get there and it’s completely different than what they expected. … It’s significantly more. In those situations, I think that’s a solid time to go back to the table and start talking about what you’re contributing and what its value is.”
Perfusion Solution Inc., where Tackett-Hunt serves as general counsel, is a Joint Commission accredited healthcare staffing firm, according to the company’s website.