How Bonnie Hammer thrived through multiple mergers, plus her advice on asking for a raise and why you should never “fake it till you make it.”
Bonnie Hammer cultivated a career as one of the most influential executives in the entertainment industry. During her tenure at NBCUniversal, Hammer oversaw a portfolio of cable channels including USA, Syfy, and Bravo, and launched hit shows including Suits, Monk, Psych, Battlestar Galactica, and Mr. Robot. Since 2020, she served as Vice Chair of NBCUniversal before recently departing the company. She is now at work on a business incubator called BONKARS, which will build out ideas (“some grounded and some bonkars”), all with the intent to help women.
She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling book: “15 Lies Women Are Told at Work and the Truth We Need to Succeed.” In it, Hammer provides a wide range of career advice, such as her ABC guide to decision-making (Analyze, Brainstorm, Compare … all the way through G – don’t ignore your Gut!)
In this episode of How She Does It, she is sharing her hard-won wisdom with Karen Finerman, including how to navigate corporate changes, understand your worth, and make strategic career moves.
Master the Art of Reading the Room
Bonnie Hammer’s ability to survive numerous mergers, acquisitions, and leadership changes throughout her career isn’t just luck; it’s a carefully developed skill. “The one thing I realized I learned … to do well was read a room,” Hammer explains. “So that when every change happened… I sat back, I tried to figure out the new boss, the new culture.”
This strategic approach means understanding whether new leadership prioritizes creativity and content or focuses more on the bottom line. “If you think Jeff Zucker and Barry Diller were alike, hell no. And Comcast and GE? Total opposites,” Hammer notes. Her focus on creating excellent content remains constant, but with each new leader, she makes adjustments, including making sure her communication with her bosses reflects their priorities.
Reject “Fake It Til You Make It”
One of Hammer’s strongest convictions is rejecting the idea of “fake it ‘til you make it.” Instead, she advises listeners to be honest and upfront and what they know – and what they don’t know or don’t understand. “The minute you get caught in a lie, the minute you pretend you know something you don’t know, and you get caught, you lose trust instantly. And it’s so hard to get back,” she warns.
Instead, admitting what you don’t know creates multiple advantages: it builds trust and empowers others to mentor you.
Salary Negotiations: Asking For A Raise
Hammer believes in lifting other women up in the workplace, especially when it comes to salary negotiations and asking for a raise. On one occasion, she instructed her lawyer to share her complete compensation package with an underpaid colleague who was facing a major promotion.
While most folks may not be lucky enough to have a Bonnie Hammer in their corner during a pay negotiation, she does have some advice she knows to be effective: “ Do your homework, get the facts, and then when you go in… it’s not that you’re asking, it’s how you’re asking. Demanding, being entitled. Yelling, being obnoxious, (that’s) not going get you there,” she advises. Instead, lean into being confident and asking for what you want in a tone that makes sense.
If the answer is still no, Hammer has some good follow-up questions to ask on the spot, including:
- Can we review it another year rather than three years?
- What do I need to do in order to get from here to there?
- What else do I have to take on as extras to prove my worth?
Bonnie Hammer on Knowing Your WORK Worth
In today’s workplace, there is the notion that some younger workers are eschewing menial work in the name of knowing their own value. But Hammer thinks this is a mistake, drawing an important distinction between personal value and professional value. “When you’re starting out in the work world, you have to prove your (professional) worth.” For her, this means taking on what’s asked with a good attitude, even if it’s “grunt work.”
She took this advice very literally in her own career. In college, she landed an internship on a TV show and was tasked with minding one of the show’s stars: an untrained dog. That included cleaning up after the dog: literally doing “crappy work.”
Rather than complaining, she approached the task with enthusiasm. “Just do the job, be noticed,” she advises.
“Personal worth is very important. Everybody has it. Nobody should give that up,” she says, but adds that professional worth must be earned.
Bonnie Hammer has certainly earned her professional worth, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
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