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Entitlement is a spectrum from high (demanding special treatment) to low (feeling less deserving than others).

Low entitlement may cause you to accept situations that are unfair or harmful to you.

To counteract low entitlement, seek outside perspectives and consider what you would advise a friend to do.

Asking for what you deserve not only benefits you, but also helps others in similar situations.

During a negotiation coaching session, my client “Julie” paused.

Julie wanted to feel valued and respected in the workplace—and knew for a fact that she was underpaid compared to her colleagues.

But she didn’t want to ask for a raise.

“I’m fine,” said Julie. “I can make do on my current salary. There are so many people who need money more than I do.”

I reminded her that she deserves to be paid for her work, just like her colleagues do. Not because she desperately needs money, but because it’s fair.

“I know,” she said, “but I feel greedy asking for more.”

The spectrum of psychological entitlement

Psychological research on entitlement began in studies of narcissism. Narcissists tend to have high levels of entitlement. They are likely to believe they are inherently better and more deserving than others, and that rules don’t apply to them. In the workplace, a person with high entitlement might demand an unearned promotion or become angry at valid criticism of their........

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