Negotiating doesn’t come easy to anyone. Most people anticipate that negotiation equates to conflict. However, negotiation is really all about communicating your individual needs.

Here are 5 top reasons to consider when you decide if you should negotiate in your workplace this year:

1. Bosses aren’t mind readers

It’s unfortunate, but no one can read our minds. I wish they could, but the exact way we want to be rewarded is unique. Yes, the currency of appreciation is often money, and more is always good. But, what about where you want to go within the workplace? What do you find most valuable as a reward? Money/time off/benefits? Your ideal rewards might also change over time! Not saying what you want leaves it to your employer to take their best guess.

2. Concentrate on work that is valued

Everyone puts in extra work that makes their contribution to the workplace special and unique. This is part of job shaping, where we make a job our own. Does your employer see the extra things you do? Do they value your efforts as much as you do? Making sure you share what you’ve been doing is part of showing your workplace value. Ensuring your boss also agrees with this value is the other side of the coin. This process is a huge part of negotiating because it lays the groundwork for asking for what you want in the workplace. On the flip side, if you’ve been working hard on extra projects staying late or burning out, and your boss doesn’t know or doesn’t value the info, you can make an informed decision to continue or stop doing that work.

3. Show what motivates and inspires you

Every time you explicitly share what work you’ve done that is “extra” or special, and ask for what you need and want, you give your employer a clearer picture of what motivates you. So even if you don’t get the exact things you want THIS time, a smart employer will file away the asks you make, and use that knowledge to ensure you’re being compensated in the future in the way you want, what causes you care about, and how to keep you long term.

4. Show what you’d like to work on in the future

One of the goals of building a satisfying career is to do more of what you love and less of what you don’t. By sharing the areas you excel at, looking at the areas you enjoy the most, and asking to work on more of these, you’re increasing the chances that your employer will use your talents and interests to their maximum ability.

5. Take charge of your career

So many people comment that although they dislike conflict, and the idea of “selling themselves” seems uncomfortable at first pass, they inevitably feel like they’ve taken charge and empowered after asking for what they want. This feeling persists even if every ask is not met. The process of researching and getting clear on your value, and then asking for what you want puts you back in the driver’s seat in your job and career.

If you’d like to learn how to be a better negotiator, sign up for The Successful Negotiator, a step by step method to improve your skills in negotiating as a professional.