Advocating For Yourself - How You Can Get Coaching Paid For, Salary Increases & More At Work

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

As women in the workplace, we continue to face unique challenges and barriers.

Being able to advocate for ourselves with confidence is becoming a non-negotiable for impact-driven women everywhere.

We’re not born with an innate ability to advocate for ourselves, we have to learn how to do this.

In my experience, these lessons and skills are built often through the workplace experiences we have (the good, the bad, and the ugly).

Meaning we often have to learn through painful experiences.

But what would happen if we empowered women at every stage of their careers with advocacy frameworks, tools, and blueprints?

What if we had a toolbelt full to the brim with resources?

The next time we go for that interview we know exactly how to negotiate a higher salary.

The next time we’re cut off in a meeting, we know exactly how to recommend the room and ensure our voice is heard.

What world that would be.

But until then, I’ve compiled some musings, tools, and resources for you below.

Building Confidence: Self-Advocacy Tips and Techniques

Advocating for yourself well starts with the internal journey first. You’re a worthy human being exactly as you are, right in this moment - do you remember that? Do you feel your worthiness in your own heart?

I believe self-confidence isn’t a linear journey. We’ve likely experienced situations, challenges, and even people who have made deposits in our confidence bank account or taken withdrawals. If we’ve had too many withdrawals and not enough deposits, our confidence bank account can feel empty - even completely drained.

That’s where we start. Getting a reading as to the health of our confidence bank account and building from there.

I believe the following practices can be implemented continuously at any stage of your career, not just as a once-off.

1. Recognize Your Value

To advocate for yourself, it's crucial to acknowledge your worth and the valuable contributions you bring to the workplace.

→ Start by identifying your strengths, accomplishments, and unique skills. The best way to do this is to create a ‘win bin’ - a place where you list all your achievements, efforts, and proud moments. This is yours to come back to whenever you need it (I’m talking about the days when that imposter was LOUD!)

There’s a two-fold part to a win-bin for women: It helps us communicate our value, what we’re working on, and the results we’re generating.

Many women are quietly achieving and fixing at work. Is there any opportunity for you to share more of what you’re working on with key stakeholders?

What would it look like if you were to increase communication around your results by 10%?

2. Articulate Your Goals and Needs

Be clear about what you want to achieve and communicate it effectively. Set specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your career advancement. As leaders, it’s so important that we can clearly express our needs, whether it's a promotion, fair compensation, or growth opportunities.

What is your vision for your professional and personal development in the next 12-24 months and who can you share it with that can help you get there?

3. Master Effective Communication

Develop strong communication skills to articulate your ideas, concerns, and achievements assertively. Practice active listening, maintain eye contact, and use confident body language. Remember that assertiveness is a skill. We don’t come into this world with a preconceived skillset at being great at setting boundaries and speaking up for ourselves.

We learn it over time. With practice, we improve.

Advocating for Executive Coaching and the Benefits of Doing So.

If you’re a woman in leadership, you should have coaching support available to you. As I helped a wonderful client this week secure a full year of 1-1 coaching sessions with me, I was reminded of the importance of ASKING for what we need.

Women's empowerment flourishes within nurturing relationships, safe spaces, and unconditional support. Executive coaching provides a safe and supportive space to address challenges and develop the skills and strategies needed to overcome them.

There are so many areas I support my clients with through the power of executive coaching:

• Improve communication skills through targeted feedback and exercises.

• Develop leadership presence and confidence to project authority and command.

• Enhancing emotional intelligence for improved decision-making and relationship-building.

• Accelerating career growth by addressing skill gaps, building networks, and developing key leadership competencies.

• Navigate and optimize collaborative relationships at work.

• Improve the performance and accountability of your team.

• Overcome imposter syndrome and a lack of confidence.

• Overcome gender bias by developing strategies to navigate biases and position oneself as a strong leader

• Prevent and reduce workplace burnout by enhancing wellbeing.

By implementing self-advocacy techniques, challenging gender bias, and considering executive coaching, women can empower themselves in the workplace and pave the way for a more equitable and supportive environment.

Remember, you have the power to advocate for yourself and create positive change.

Ready to elevate your leadership and create a thriving workplace? Let’s connect to explore how we can build a high-performance culture that attracts and retains top talent—without burnout.

About the Author

Shauna Moran is an internationally recognized expert in workplace well-being, burnout prevention, and leadership development. She specializes in two key areas: empowering women leaders and fostering sustainable, high-performance workplace cultures.

With a proven track record, Shauna has helped over 1,000 leaders shift from stressed managers to resilient, high-impact executives. Her clients report:

✅ 60% reduction in workplace stress while enhancing organizational effectiveness.
✅ 40% more time for strategic work—without increasing their workload.
✅ 85% retention rate for high-potential leaders within 18 months.

Most recently, she helped an organization double its retention rate, proving that well-being and performance go hand in hand.

Shauna has also guided over 200 women leaders in transforming from overwhelmed managers into confident, influential executives, with an 85% success rate in securing promotions within 18 months.

Ready to build a thriving, resilient workforce?