A book recommendation for managers at every level.

1. Lifescripts for Managers
a recommendation from
Peter Zehren
What to say to get what you want
in life’s toughest situations

2. by
Stephen M.
Pollan
and
Mark
Levine

3. Script 29:
Asking Your Superior for a Budget
Increase
 Strategy: Opportunity to improve bottom
line
 Tactics:
 Attitude: excitement and hope
 Preparation: documents and fallback for objections
 Timing: as soon as you can (don’t wait until budget
time)
 Behavior: urge opportunity, don’t suggest cuts

4. Asking Your Superior for a Budget
Increase
Icebreaker: Pitch:
I figured out a way Add position dedicated to
for us to increase classified sales would increase
revenue gross revenue by 40% with
only 10% overhead.
Too Don’t have Again
Attacks
long
you money st
term
grain

5. Asking Your Superior for a Budget
Increase
Don’t have money:
you might be right.
However, we just don’t
have the money to
gamble on something
like this right now.
Cut to add:
We can eliminate risk by
cutting 10% on our T&E
budget. That way the
new move pays off from
day one.:

6. Asking Your Superior for a Budget
Increase
Cut to add:
Open to Still Against
idea: Idea:
I’m sorry. I just
All right, let’s go can’t bring that
over what you kind of
have suggestion
in mind. upstairs.

7. Asking Your Superior for a Budget
Increase
Open to Still Against
idea: Idea:
Ask for
Outline Plan: Reconsideration:
I’ve prepared Let me leave memo with
memo, validated
assumptions, you, I’ve got a 2-year profit
willing to take and loss for the change. I’ve
suggestions before validated assumptions. Take
it goes upstairs a look and I think you’ll
reconsider I’ll get back to
you tomorrow.

8. Overarching Rules
 Take Control of the Situation
 Say What You Want
 Show Your Power Before You Use It
 Absorb or Deflect Anger
 Have the Last Word
Managing a team at an eco lodge in Bolivia

9. Critique
 Powerful Tool To Explore Options
 May Frame Problems Too Tightly
 Not All Problems Covered
(Micromanagement)

11. Conclusion
Great reference or guide because it
gives you:
 What to Say
 The Rationale Behind the Conversation
 A Visual Flow Chart
 Keeps You From Making Minor Problems
Major

12. Questions?
Lifescripts for Managers
a recommendation from
Peter Zehren