>Say, "If I accomplish X, Y, and Z in the next year, that's definitely worth (reward Q)." You probably can't get this in writing, but almost any boss will honor their word after a highly specific agreement.
I've had that in writing, accomplished X, Y, Z and had the reward refused, seemingly at a whim (in truth, the company couldn't afford to keep the promise at that point in time and used whatever cover they could to not pay the promised reward). However, it did provide bargaining power in the future, though I felt dirty afterwards.
I could probably use the negotiation/politics advice ;)
One thought I would contribute regarding negotiation is that, while you might not get what you want, you can usually get something. If they can't pay you, then ask for a title or autonomy or a better project. These are "free" but can be very valuable, in the long run, for your career.
You almost never get everything you want out of a negotiation, but you can almost always get something.
I've had that in writing, accomplished X, Y, Z and had the reward refused, seemingly at a whim (in truth, the company couldn't afford to keep the promise at that point in time and used whatever cover they could to not pay the promised reward). However, it did provide bargaining power in the future, though I felt dirty afterwards.
I could probably use the negotiation/politics advice ;)