What Are Your Non-Negotiables

"We use non-negotiables to assert our values, protect ourselves and then create boundaries so that we can do our best work."

What are the things about which you will not negotiate?

There are always going to be areas for compromise. But I want you to know what you won’t budge on (like not working by the hour, not giving discounts, not taking calls on Fridays, not getting paid beneath a certain number, or anything else you need).

Whatever it is for you, the key is that you stand firm around the things that are important to you. When you’re clear on your values, that becomes easier to discern.

In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, I look at common situations consultants experience and how to come up with decision-making criteria to figure out your non-negotiables.

Key areas discussed in this episode

0:00 Introduction
1:13 Why you need to know your non-negotiables
1:56 Know your values so you can understand what’s important to you
6:00 Why it can be hard to stand by our non-negotiables
6:18 Communicate your values
8:42 Defend your values
10:34 Examples of non-negotiables
15:08 Action steps to get clear on your own non-negotiables
16:48 Non-negotiables as “always” and “never”

One of the most empowering things we can do is build work that allows us to bring our full selves without compromise, with all of our creativity—and the way to do that is with safe boundaries, including what we never negotiate.