Sanjeev Kapoor’s demand to be paid ‘Re 1 more’ than Akshay Kumar is a lesson on the need to assert your value for career success

In competitive industries, knowing and asserting one’s value can make all the difference between being just another player and becoming a standout success. 

Sanjeev Kapoor, India’s most celebrated chef, demonstrated this powerfully when he was approached to co-judge the inaugural season of MasterChef India. “When MasterChef came, we had already done a show and saw what the future looked like for it,” he told Siddharth Kannan during an interview. 

He went on to disclose that when he first started talking to the makers, he was told that one of the judges had already been finalised and signed. It was revealed that this was not another chef, but Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar.

Despite his stature in the culinary world, which was acknowledged by the makers of the show, Kapoor declined to join alongside Kumar unless he was compensated just one rupee more than the Bollywood superstar, asserting his expertise and value in his field.

However, they decided to drop him after this. The celebrity chef said, “He’s (Akshay) a dear friend, brilliant guy, great professional.” When approached for the show, he said, “Very good, I am very happy but I have only one condition. Whatever you are paying him, I will charge Re 1 more.”

Kapoor’s reasoning for the same was “this is my field.” After being dropped, he did not appear in the first two seasons of the show, which Kumar shot alongside Kunal Kapur and Ajay Chopra. For the third season, he was taken on board. He noted, “They decided to replace Akshay Kumar. I signed the show on my terms.”

“So I signed the show, and I did a few seasons but time to effort to return, that ratio did not match,” Kapoor said. 

For those unfamiliar, Sanjeev Kapoor is a renowned Indian chef, television personality, and entrepreneur who has revolutionised the way India views cooking. He is best known for his long-running television show ‘Khana Khazana’, which became a household name and paved the way for many chefs to follow in his footsteps.

Negotiations often involve a complex interplay of emotions, perceptions, and power dynamics. (Source: Freepik)

Importance of recognising and asserting one’s value to long-term career success and professional reputation

His story is a compelling example of how understanding and standing by one’s worth can lead to better opportunities and long-term success in their career. Neha Cadabam, senior psychologist at Cadabam’s Mindtalk, says, “Knowing and asserting one’s value deeply impacts self-esteem and motivation. When we feel undervalued, it creates a sense of cognitive dissonance, a psychological discomfort that arises from holding conflicting beliefs. This can lead to decreased job satisfaction, lower productivity, and even burnout.”

Conversely, she adds, recognising and advocating for one’s worth fosters a sense of self-efficacy, the belief in one’s ability to succeed. This positive self-perception fuels confidence and ambition, driving individuals to pursue more challenging opportunities and achieve greater career success.”

Potential risks and rewards of taking a firm stand on one’s worth

Cadabam says, “Negotiations often involve a complex interplay of emotions, perceptions, and power dynamics. From a psychological perspective, taking a firm stand on one’s worth requires a delicate balance of assertiveness and empathy.”

The ‘anchoring effect’ is a cognitive bias where the first piece of information presented in a negotiation (the anchor) heavily influences subsequent discussions, she asserts. “By confidently stating your desired compensation or terms upfront, you set a strong anchor that frames the negotiation in your favour.”

However, it’s crucial to avoid the ‘winner’s curse,’ where the winning party in a negotiation feels they overpaid or conceded too much. Active listening, understanding the other party’s perspective, and seeking mutually beneficial solutions can prevent this and lead to more satisfying outcomes, Cadabam suggests.

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