Dear Professor
How can I successfully "re-negotiate" an existing contract with my employer?
A student asked me how to successfully and tactfully re-negotiate their contract with their employer:
Dear Professor, I'm a full-time MBA student and currently in a multi-year agreement with my employer that includes my MBA sponsorship. However, my company was recently acquired by a larger firm, and there’s been a lot of change. I’m starting to question the long-term commitment I made and am wondering how I might convince my firm to introduce some flexibility into the final year(s) of the agreement. The decision-making has moved higher up in the corporate structure, and I’m not sure how to even start the conversation.
Dear Student,
You’re in a classic post-acquisition bind: there’s a formal agreement in place, but the ground beneath it has shifted—and now you’re looking to renegotiate. It’s tough, but not impossible. Here are four research-backed moves to consider:
1. Don’t negotiate this over email.
Why? People say "yes" more often in live, synchronous conversations than in asynchronous ones—and they’re more likely to interpret your message positively when they can see your face. So, use Zoom, Teams, or the phone. The other key reason is that live, synchronous conversations allow you to allows you to adjust in real time. If they push back or misread your intent, you can pivot. Email freezes you and can be forwarded without your permission.
2. Shift the frame of your core persuasive message from “me” to “we.”
Right now, this negotiation is about you—but for you to be maximally persuasive it can't sound like it’s about you. Companies are more receptive when they see a win for themselves. So, think hard about how flexibility in your contract might benefit them. Can you position it as reducing long-term risk, retaining your talent more effectively, or enabling you to take on broader roles now? Even a partial benefit can create traction in your discussion.
3. Make sure you’re talking to the real decision-maker.
Don’t waste your best argument on someone who lacks the authority to act on it. Ask early: “Who would ultimately need to approve something like this?” It’s awkward to pose that question upfront, but it’s even worse to invest energy in a fruitless meeting.
4. Demonstrate return on investment (ROI).
Your company sponsored you with the expectation that you’d deliver value. So, show them they’re already getting it. For example, if you used a recent class project to generate new go-to-market ideas or insights relevant to your business, say so. Remind them: You made a smart investment—and I’m just getting started. Then tie your ask to specific ways you'll continue to deliver value: “Greater flexibility will allow me to do more of X, Y, and Z on your behalf.”
The truth is: people constantly atttempt to re-negotiate existing contracts. The successful ones are those who demonstrate how changes benefit the counterparty!