 | | | Robin Wright, Kevin Spacey
Photo Credit, Netflix |
Robin Wright is in the news for successfully demanding pay equal to her House of Cards co-star, Kevin Spacey.
This morning on ABC's Good Morning America, I shared three things Wright did that every woman can learn from.
1) Wright did research. Saying "I am woman, pay me more" isn't enough. You must show why you deserve more money. Wright knows that her Cards character and Spacey's character are equal in importance to the story line. Beyond that, she discovered that at some stages, her character's popularity with viewers eclipsed that of the male lead - making her at least as valuable as him on the hit Netflix political series.
2) Wright used her voice. It's rare for employers to address, let alone correct, disparities in pay unless you speak up. She did the right thing, the only thing: she went to her bosses and asked for more money.
Too often women believe it's inappropriate or unseemly to speak up for a raise. We hope and pray someone recognizes us. Yet, hope is not a strategy. You must be willing to speak up for yourself.
3) Wright made a threat. This is where Hollywood and reality part ways. Wright threatened to "go public" unless she got her way. It worked for her, an in-demand celebrity, but for most women, it's not a good idea.
"For most of us, 'going public' will fall on deaf ears or a boss may say, 'You're out.' If you're not prepared to follow through if you threaten to leave if you don't get the raise, you'd better have savings or another job lined up because your boss may take you up on your offer."
Instead, if the answer is no, find out if that means never or not now. "Never" means it's time to update your resume and start searching. "Not now" offers the chance to ask for specific benchmarks and a timetable to make it happen. Have you ever taken a stand on equal pay? Tell us about your experience here.
-- Tory Johnson | 
Comments