Negotiating Your Worth: A Blueprint for Empowered Leadership with Jane Saccaro – Podcast Episode 5

Podcast • November 24, 2023

Summary: 

In this episode of Elevate Your Career, Nicole talks to Jane Saccaro, a CEO, executive coach, and speaker with over two decades of experience helping individuals and organisations formulate, communicate, and mobilize to achieve a shared vision. They discuss the significance of listening and building strong relationships within a workspace to foster trust and competence. Jane offers her approach to negotiation, aiming to simplify the process and alleviate discomfort when asking for more money.

Nicole and Jane discuss her journey from growing up in the Midwest with leadership tendencies to becoming a CEO, highlighting her experiences of deep listening and peer counselling during high school, which shaped her understanding of human connection. Jane pursued a major in economics and a minor in psychology, which led her to strategic consulting at Bain and Company, where she learned the importance of relationship-building and credible demonstration of competence. After Bain, she transitioned to eToys.com, embracing the challenges of a new industry and climbing up from an associate product manager to a leadership role during the internet bubble era. 

They discuss Jane’s move to Princess Cruises, where she faced the challenge of being one of the few women in a male-dominated environment. She emphasises the importance of relationship-building both shipboard and within the office. Jane also discusses her time in Zurich, Switzerland, where she decided to move into the social sector, aiming to find meaning in her hard work. She prepared by educating herself in various aspects of nonprofit management. Upon returning to the States, she joined Kasem, a small but promising nonprofit.

Throughout this fascinating and insightful conversation, Jane provides insights into successful negotiation, stressing preparation and the importance of understanding one’s worth and the company’s position. She offers advice on advocating for oneself, having intentional conversations, and practicing good body language to remain connected and calm during negotiations.

Enjoy!

 

What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • The transformative power of deep listening and empathy and Jane’s early experiences with peer counselling in high school, which laid the foundation for her leadership philosophy.
  • Jane’s journey at Bain and Company, revealing how critical relationship-building and credibility are in establishing oneself as a young leader in a competitive environment.
  • The importance of tenacity and adaptability, particularly during tumultuous times, like the internet bubble era.
  • How her strategic approach to earning trust and forging strong relationships allowed her to succeed in a challenging, male-dominated  work environment.
  • How Jane’s time in Zurich brought clarity to her career trajectory, and how she derived fulfilment from aligning hard work with meaningful impact.
  • Demystifying negotiation, particularly for women – preparation, knowing one’s value, understanding the employer’s standpoint, and practicing confident body language.
  • And so much more…

 

Quotes:

“We have no idea what’s going on inside another human. And it’s such a gift and an opportunity to, you know, be with them and to really, really make space for listening and supporting.” – (Jane Saccaro)

“The power of human connection is something that, you know, we biologically need to survive. And it can be trained… it is being so muted by all the other forces of social media and all the bad stuff that we know is going on.” – (Jane Saccaro)

“I was the lowest person on the totem pole, by far…but because it was a small office and we were starting out, I knew I’d get an opportunity to put my head imprint on all the things I cared about with regard to the culture of the office.” – (Jane Saccaro)

“When you’re climbing the corporate ladder, as well. And when you’re a CEO, it’s still tried and true, right? You’re building relationships, constantly with your stakeholders and with employees.” – (Jane Saccaro)

“All the skills are there when it comes to negotiation, but it’s sort of just even naming that like, this is the playing field. This is where we’re operating and it’s okay to ask for more.” – (Jane Saccaro)

 

Resources:

Nicole McMackin LinkedIn

Jane Saccaro LinkedIn

Jane’s website

 

Podcast:

elevate your career

Summary: 

In this episode of Elevate Your Career, Nicole talks to Jane Saccaro, a CEO, executive coach, and speaker with over two decades of experience helping individuals and organisations formulate, communicate, and mobilize to achieve a shared vision. They discuss the significance of listening and building strong relationships within a workspace to foster trust and competence. Jane offers her approach to negotiation, aiming to simplify the process and alleviate discomfort when asking for more money.

Nicole and Jane discuss her journey from growing up in the Midwest with leadership tendencies to becoming a CEO, highlighting her experiences of deep listening and peer counselling during high school, which shaped her understanding of human connection. Jane pursued a major in economics and a minor in psychology, which led her to strategic consulting at Bain and Company, where she learned the importance of relationship-building and credible demonstration of competence. After Bain, she transitioned to eToys.com, embracing the challenges of a new industry and climbing up from an associate product manager to a leadership role during the internet bubble era. 

They discuss Jane’s move to Princess Cruises, where she faced the challenge of being one of the few women in a male-dominated environment. She emphasises the importance of relationship-building both shipboard and within the office. Jane also discusses her time in Zurich, Switzerland, where she decided to move into the social sector, aiming to find meaning in her hard work. She prepared by educating herself in various aspects of nonprofit management. Upon returning to the States, she joined Kasem, a small but promising nonprofit.

Throughout this fascinating and insightful conversation, Jane provides insights into successful negotiation, stressing preparation and the importance of understanding one’s worth and the company’s position. She offers advice on advocating for oneself, having intentional conversations, and practicing good body language to remain connected and calm during negotiations.

Enjoy!

 

What You Will Learn In This Show:

  • The transformative power of deep listening and empathy and Jane’s early experiences with peer counselling in high school, which laid the foundation for her leadership philosophy.
  • Jane’s journey at Bain and Company, revealing how critical relationship-building and credibility are in establishing oneself as a young leader in a competitive environment.
  • The importance of tenacity and adaptability, particularly during tumultuous times, like the internet bubble era.
  • How her strategic approach to earning trust and forging strong relationships allowed her to succeed in a challenging, male-dominated  work environment.
  • How Jane’s time in Zurich brought clarity to her career trajectory, and how she derived fulfilment from aligning hard work with meaningful impact.
  • Demystifying negotiation, particularly for women – preparation, knowing one’s value, understanding the employer’s standpoint, and practicing confident body language.
  • And so much more…

 

Quotes:

“We have no idea what’s going on inside another human. And it’s such a gift and an opportunity to, you know, be with them and to really, really make space for listening and supporting.” – (Jane Saccaro)

“The power of human connection is something that, you know, we biologically need to survive. And it can be trained… it is being so muted by all the other forces of social media and all the bad stuff that we know is going on.” – (Jane Saccaro)

“I was the lowest person on the totem pole, by far…but because it was a small office and we were starting out, I knew I’d get an opportunity to put my head imprint on all the things I cared about with regard to the culture of the office.” – (Jane Saccaro)

“When you’re climbing the corporate ladder, as well. And when you’re a CEO, it’s still tried and true, right? You’re building relationships, constantly with your stakeholders and with employees.” – (Jane Saccaro)

“All the skills are there when it comes to negotiation, but it’s sort of just even naming that like, this is the playing field. This is where we’re operating and it’s okay to ask for more.” – (Jane Saccaro)

 

Resources:

Nicole McMackin LinkedIn

Jane Saccaro LinkedIn

Jane’s website

 

Podcast:

Share This Article

Related Resources

55 | Siddharth Sharma | Wisdom in Words: Emotional Intelligence for Authentic Leaders

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/elevate-your-career/id1716284614?i=1000688889620 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5WPALqnMvsSBP3wcd4M0CF?si=20e260e7eda34154 In today’s episode of the Elevate Your Career podcast, Nicole is joined by Siddharth Sharma,…

READ MORE

54 | Heather Costa | How to Unlock Potential: The Power of Self-Aware Teams

  In today’s episode of the Elevate Your Career podcast, Nicole is joined by Heather Costa, the…

READ MORE

53 | Russell Wolf | Elevate Your Professional Journey by Navigating Dynamics Positively

  In today’s episode of the Elevate Your Career podcast, Nicole is joined by Russell Wolf, an…

READ MORE

52 | Russell Wolf | Thrive at Work and Home: Mastering Growth Without Burnout

  In today’s episode of the Elevate Your Career podcast, Nicole is joined by Russell Wolf, an…

READ MORE