You’re a young partner, working to grow your business. After 3 years of hard work, collections jump 50% from the prior year.

Yet your year-end distribution barely budges.

You complain to your spouse, compare yourself to your peers (who made more), and get resentful without ever asking why (why didn't your distribution increase?).

You tell yourself you don’t want to be “that” person. The squeaky wheel. The one who wants to be treated differently.

But is that really the reason? Or is it because advocating for yourself is uncomfortable and you might hear something uncomfortable (such as, "We wait to see a trend before increasing your distribution, just like we don't suddenly drop it due to one bad year.")?

And what, exactly, are you accomplishing by complaining (without making your case to those who have power)?

[The answer is simple: Nothing. Other than building resentment, maybe for no reason.]

Self-advocacy isn’t about making demands or asking to be treated differently than others. It’s about having a conversation oriented towards better understanding and making the case when warranted.

Asking for a conversation to understand how your compensation was determined and making your case for an increase isn’t being a squeaky wheel. That's being a professional.

Even if the number doesn't change, this conversation is worth it because you will have valuable information and insight (about where leadership is coming from). And you will have set a precedent, planting a seed for future expectations.

The thing to know about self-advocacy? It's applicable in many situations (not just when arguing for more money).

Self-advocacy is a necessary skill for long-term success, especially when you've made a mistake (yes, a mistake).

For more on when and how to self-advocate (without sounding like you're bragging), listen to this week's Life & Law episode about how to speak up and stand out, authentically.

XO,

Heather