Mellody Hobson

That's a powerful negotiation tactic. And I said, and then if you do that, I will believe you.

That's a powerful negotiation tactic. And I said, and then if you do that, I will believe you.

That's really smart. I said, we don't have any time. So if you call me and say you need it, I believe you. Yeah. But I need you to believe me too.

That's really smart. I said, we don't have any time. So if you call me and say you need it, I believe you. Yeah. But I need you to believe me too.

Well, I want to make sure you understand, I always had go-tos to give me a lot of great advice. There were forks in the road along the way. And I went to really smart people. I am never too proud to ask for help. As I say, just like the song, I'm not too proud to beg. I'm not. You still do that now at this point in your career? Oh, constant. Me too. I have lifelines everywhere.

Well, I want to make sure you understand, I always had go-tos to give me a lot of great advice. There were forks in the road along the way. And I went to really smart people. I am never too proud to ask for help. As I say, just like the song, I'm not too proud to beg. I'm not. You still do that now at this point in your career? Oh, constant. Me too. I have lifelines everywhere.

And there were some forks in the road that were around self-advocacy that were very, very monumental. And one was when I was about 40 years old and a friend called me and he said, you know, Melody, you're 40. Are you staying at Ariel or are you going to do something else? I said, well, why are you asking that? And he's like, you can't switch when you're 50.

And there were some forks in the road that were around self-advocacy that were very, very monumental. And one was when I was about 40 years old and a friend called me and he said, you know, Melody, you're 40. Are you staying at Ariel or are you going to do something else? I said, well, why are you asking that? And he's like, you can't switch when you're 50.

So he's like, so if you're going to stay there, then this has to really be meaningful. You have to know what this is, what you're going to own, you know, et cetera, et cetera. What a great friend. And so he was like, you really should have the talk with John Rogers about that. Not in a threatening way, but just sort of say, I need to know. If you're going to stay... get this all sorted out.

So he's like, so if you're going to stay there, then this has to really be meaningful. You have to know what this is, what you're going to own, you know, et cetera, et cetera. What a great friend. And so he was like, you really should have the talk with John Rogers about that. Not in a threatening way, but just sort of say, I need to know. If you're going to stay... get this all sorted out.

most women are real team players. We're loyal and we're team players and we expect good things to happen to us. And we don't necessarily understand. I think I've been naive at times, so I'm not saying this in any condescending way. You just think it's going to work out. And sometimes you have to ask and put people on the spot.

most women are real team players. We're loyal and we're team players and we expect good things to happen to us. And we don't necessarily understand. I think I've been naive at times, so I'm not saying this in any condescending way. You just think it's going to work out. And sometimes you have to ask and put people on the spot.

I think that if I were giving advice about how to advocate, because I've had people come to me and I've had them do it the right way and do it the wrong way. So I can tell you the wrong way is when you really don't know what you're talking about and you have overstated your significance or your value. That's the biggest thing. That is a killer. The person never looks at you the same way. Never.

I think that if I were giving advice about how to advocate, because I've had people come to me and I've had them do it the right way and do it the wrong way. So I can tell you the wrong way is when you really don't know what you're talking about and you have overstated your significance or your value. That's the biggest thing. That is a killer. The person never looks at you the same way. Never.

Yes. And so then you think, well, how valuable could you be? You like go into a whole spin in your head, right?

Yes. And so then you think, well, how valuable could you be? You like go into a whole spin in your head, right?

Got it. What the, you know, because there's nothing worse than the person who's asking for something that like literally doesn't exist. Totally.

Got it. What the, you know, because there's nothing worse than the person who's asking for something that like literally doesn't exist. Totally.

They're like, you know, I want to be your chief of staff and I want to make $500,000. You're like, Not going to happen. Nowhere. Yes. You know what I mean? So it's like, if you can get that job, go get it. I wish you well. Yeah. You know, it's like that kind of thing. But it is also the thing where you say, know what the real value is of the job and then know what you contributed.

They're like, you know, I want to be your chief of staff and I want to make $500,000. You're like, Not going to happen. Nowhere. Yes. You know what I mean? So it's like, if you can get that job, go get it. I wish you well. Yeah. You know, it's like that kind of thing. But it is also the thing where you say, know what the real value is of the job and then know what you contributed.