Big Promises, Small Deposits—Bonuses
You've been putting in the results. Now you deserve the reward to match. Step into your bonus season with clarity and confidence.
About this episode
Bonus season is one of the most emotionally loaded times in the corporate calendar. The promises made in Q4. The "we'll make it right" conversations. The performance review that rated you "exceeds expectations" and then rewarded you with a 2% bonus.
In this episode, we break down how bonuses actually work — the targets, the discretion, the cap structures — and why the number you receive often has less to do with your performance than you think.
We talk about how to have the bonus conversation without torpedoing your relationship with your manager, what to do when the number feels insulting, and how to use bonus season as intelligence for your next move.
Because you deserve to understand the game you're playing.
Key Takeaways
- 1
How discretionary bonuses actually work (and who decides)
- 2
How to ask about your bonus without seeming entitled
- 3
What to do when the number is lower than expected
- 4
Using bonus disappointment as data for your next career move
